


Face Your Fears

by BlueWindStorm



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood and Violence, Brotherly Angst, Child Somnus, Creepy Behavior, Daemons, Family, Gen, Guilt, Horror, Horror Elements, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Imprisonment, Manipulation, Murder, Neglect, Nightmares, Possession, Possessive Behavior, Regret, Sibling Bonding, Starscourge (In a way), Young Adult Ardyn, dark themes, referenced child death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:33:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25499149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueWindStorm/pseuds/BlueWindStorm
Summary: There are noises that come from the upstairs of his house, a place Somnus is not allowed venture. One night, Somnus decides to defy his parents and investigate what might be causing them for himself.
Relationships: Ardyn Izunia & Somnus Lucis Caelum, No pairings
Comments: 34
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

There was something in the attic. 

Somnus heard things from up there even though his room was on the first floor of his house. He was rarely allowed on the second floor and had never even been inside the attic of his own home. But the boy could swear he heard noises, faint and muffled as they were. He usually had to listen intently to make them out and most of the time even he felt like they weren’t real. 

But they were there in the silence of the night. Not all the time, not every day. Only sometimes. The boy could swear he heard things being knocked around, footsteps and even yelling. But always so faint, sometimes seeming more like an echo.

They were terrifying to hear while Somnus lay in his bed in the middle of the night, having been awoken but not knowing the cause. On several occasions, the boy tried to explain to his parents what he heard at night but they were quick to tell him it was just his imagination. They stated there was nothing there. 

Strangely though, Somnus’s parents never took Somnus upstairs to check. And when he asked, they told him again that he wasn’t allowed up there. It was something that was told to him since he could remember. His mom and dad said there was very important work in all the rooms upstairs, that Somnus was too young to be allowed to even see what it was. 

When Somnus was persistent, they ordered him to stop asking. They had sounded so angry that time that their son did as they asked. He never brought it up agai, even though he so desperately wished to know just what exactly was up there. And why his parents spent all day on the second floor, leaving Somnus alone most of the day. He wasn’t allowed to have friends over so he never had anyone to play with. 

And his parents too rarely had anyone over. Maybe they just didn’t like other people? Somnus didn't know.

The child knew it was weird that he wasn’t allowed on the second floor but he’d never defied his mom and dad. Not yet anyway. 

Something like a muffled yell and then perhaps the sound of something breaking came and Somnus flinched. He pulled the sheets over his head and closed his eyes, hoping he could fall asleep. He didn’t really hear the sounds when there was light out, maybe because there were always other noises to drown them out. 

Sleep eluded the boy, no matter how hard he tried to calm himself enough to fall asleep.

Somnus finally slid out of his bed an hour later when he heard another faint yell. Though he was afraid, his curiosity was winning out. Just what was making these noises? Had his parents maybe left a TV on upstairs? Did they even have one there?

The boy knew his parents were asleep, having heard them both go to bed in the room beside his already. If he really wanted... Somnus could go upstairs. Right now. 

Still clad in his pajamas, Somnus picked up a flashlight from his chest of toys. It was small, and not very bright but it was all he had. He snatched up his favorite stuffed toy too, clutching it to his chest with one hand and he held the flashlight with the other. He didn’t turn it on, not yet.

Feeling more comfortable with his little blue dragon friend Draco, a stuffie given to him by his dad, Somnus slowly tiptoed out of his room. His heart beat uncomfortably hard as he made his way towards the stairs. His parents always left one light on at night and its glow spread around the house enough that Somnus did not need to use his own.

The boy hesitated at the stairs, just looking at them and the door that prevented him from going up. He again recalled he'd never defied his parents orders like this before. If he got caught, he’d be in big trouble. Maybe he'd be grounded for the rest of summer vacation. It had just started. Or maybe, the child thought to himself, they'd ground him for even _longer._

Even as young as he was, Somnus knew it was strange to have a door in front of a staircase. It hadn’t always been there. It was when Somnus turned four that his dad built some makeshift walls and installed the door. The boy knew it was to prevent their son from going up there. He’d asked his friends at school if their parents did that and none had.

But the door would not stop Somnus today. He knew the lock was broken. You just had to give the doorknob a little jiggle and it would unlock. He’d seen his parents do that when they went into their study, usually bringing food and water with them. 

Somnus gently moved the knob back and forth until he heard a soft click. He slowly opened the door, hoping it would make no creaking sound. It didn't. Now free to make his ascent, Somnus put his small foot onto the first step. 

The boy stilled when he heard a bang, this time not as faint, his heart almost felt like it would stop in fright. He jumped a little, and then expected his parents to come out and yell at him. But they didn’t. Waiting a few minutes first to make sure no one was coming, Somnus continued.

Somnus made it to the second floor and felt a strong sense of unease, like something bad was here. He glanced around, seeing that everything looked normal. The boy tiptoed to the rooms, finding all of them locked. He felt a little disappointed at that. 

There was only one place left to check now. Somnus stood beneath the attic door, reaching for the cord that would pull the stairs down. It was almost too high to reach but after jumping a few times, his fingers caught it enough to pull it down a little more. Now he could grasp it fully in hand. 

Somnus then pulled it down, straining a little at the effort it took. Once it was down, Somnus heard something, footsteps again, like bare feet on wood. He froze, feeling his breath catch in his throat. 

So someone was up there. 

Maybe it was one of his parents? Somnus thought to himself. But he’d heard them go to bed. And he didn’t hear anyone go up there afterwards. He began to believe this was a bad idea. That maybe he should just go back down and go to sleep.

The boy thought about it for several minutes. Making up his mind and taking a deep breath to calm himself, Somnus didn't listen to his sensible side. He began to go up.

* * *

Somnus turned on his flashlight as he entered the attic. He made it up with no issue. His first thought was that the attic was much bigger than he thought it would be. There were boxes around him, blocking the view into the rest of the room. There was a broken plate beside further ahead and to his left, as if someone had dropped it or possibly even thrown it in anger.

Somnus tiptoed past the boxes and staying away from the broken ceramic. He used his light to illuminate the space before him. He turned the corner past the boxes, shining his light on an open area. Immediately he saw markings all over the wall and then… chains? They were attached to the wall. His light followed them and he froze once he glimpsed just what they led to.

There was a _man_ in the attic. 

Somnus backpedaled but only managed to trip, falling onto his bottom. His flashlight and Draco dropped from his hands. The flashlight bounced, turning off and leaving everything dark. 

“Well, well, well. We’ve received a new visitor tonight.” A man’s voice said out from the darkness. It sounded cold, and sent a shiver of fear down the boy’s spine. 

Somnus was frozen, too afraid to even move. He knew he should though. He should scream, yell for help. This man _shouldn’t_ be in their home.

“And who are you?” The voice asked. Somnus didn’t speak, trembling as he scrambled for this light. He managed to fumble around for it and turned it back on. He pointed it at the man. 

The stranger had red-violet hair, and was rather tall. His eyes were an odd, vibrant golden hue. He had a bit of stubble over his chin. He looked very disheveled, his clothes ripped and mismatched. He maybe wasn’t as old as Somnus first thought, maybe as old as his friend’s brother. Was that 18 or 19?

Somnus couldn’t remember at this moment. 

There were chains around the man’s arms and legs, leading to the wall behind him. There were odd markings carved and painted over the entirety of the wall, and even the chains seemed to have off symbols etched into them. There was a small room, with only three sides behind the man, on the very back wall. Somnus could see a toilet and a sink inside.

The man frowned, squinting now that the light was shining on him again.

“Point that away.” The stranger ordered, not taking any steps toward Somnus/

The child did as the man asked, hastily lowering it. The man was still visible, but not as much. It did not seem like he could reach Somnus, his chains not allowing it, and the child found himself thankful.

“That’s better.”

“Who are you?” Somnus tried to demand, but it came out as a broken croak, his voice much softer than he wanted. “What are you doing in here?”

The man laughed. ”Why should I tell you a thing when you haven’t even introduced yourself? Tell me, boy. What is your name?”

“... Somnus.” The child finally whispered. He wondered if he should be telling this man that. He’d been told not to talk to strangers. And this stranger was in their _home_.

“Somnus.” The man repeated. “An interesting name. Familiar even… But from where?”

The man cocked his head and closed his eyes, as if trying to remember. He shook his head after a time and then looked at Somnus once more. “A pleasure to meet you Somnus, my name is Ardyn.”

“Why are you here?” Somnus asked, hoping to stop the trembling of his voice. He couldn’t reach him, the boy thought to himself. He shouldn’t be afraid.

“As you perhaps just saw, I cannot leave. These-” There was the jingle of the chains. “-Prevent me from leaving.”

“Why?”

“Why don’t you ask them?” The man seemed like he didn’t want to answer the question himself.

“Ask who?” Somnus wondered. His parents? Or maybe someone else?

“The owners of this house. Are your parents a friend of theirs? Or perhaps...” The man trailed off, looking at Somnus again.

“I live here. With mom and dad.” Somnus stated. 

The man froze at that. “Mom and dad? You are a son of the Caelums?”

The child nodded. Ardyn’s eyes narrowed and he spoke in a growl. “ _Somnus Lucis Caelum_ …”

Somnus flinched at the tone of his voice. He was angry.

“Come here.” The man ordered.

Somnus shook his head vigorously. He didn’t think that was a good idea.

“I just want to see if it’s true. Come a little closer. I can’t reach you, see?” Ardyn moved a hand up to show the metal encircling his wrist.

Somnus finally relented, pushing himself to his feet. He grabbed his plush from the floor as he did. When Somnus was younger, dad got him Draco for his birthday. He told him the toy would help keep him safe at night when he was feeling scared. Even though he wasn't so naive to believe a toy would do that anymore, it still brought him comfort when his parents couldn't. Having Draco with him eased his fear, if only a little. The child trembled as he stepped forward, moving his flashlight so it illuminated his own face for Ardyn.

Ardyn stared for a time. His eyes, golden before but now somehow turning darker, seemed to blaze with fury. 

“They have another son.” The man hissed, his voice causing Somnus to flinch.

_Another?_ Somnus thought to himself in confusion. He didn’t have a brother.

“They didn’t _tell_ me. I didn’t even _know._ ” The man was furious. His eyes had gone completely dark now.

“So I am to be _replaced_?” Ardyn roared. “They leave their firstborn in here while they enjoy their lives with _another_ child? Am I to suffer in the darkness for the rest of my days? _How dare they?!_ ”

Ardyn was panting after his tirade, still gazing at Somnus. He suddenly lunged forwards, reach a hand out. He was stopped by the chains, his face twisted in an angry scowl. His eyes blacker than anything the boy had ever seen. 

The terror of this finally allowing him to move, Somnus managed a small scream and bolted out of the attic. Even in his fear, he managed to remember to push the stairs back up.

The child trembled and gasped for breath when he finally made it back to his room. He wanted to go to his parents but he was afraid to bother them. They were always so busy and said they were tired whenever Somnus wanted to just be with them. The boy instead grabbed his blanket from the bed and headed into his closet. He threw the blanket over himself and Draco, huddling there for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, another story for these two. Been watching some horror movies lately and wanted to write something.


	2. Chapter 2

Somnus was afraid he’d be found out for going upstairs. He spent the next morning anticipating being yelled at as he sluggishly left his room. He hadn’t slept much, waking up every time he managed to fall asleep by nightmares that he could not recall afterwards. All he did remember was being terribly frightened. His body also ached from staying in such an uncomfortable position all night long. 

The boy waited until he heard his parents voices before even attempting to leave his room. He found them in the kitchen, packing lunches and deep in conversation about something. It seemed they would be going out today.

“... may be the lead we’ve been looking for…” His mother was saying to his father. They were both researchers, studying ancient history and practices. They were rarely without a phone, laptop or book in their hands. They didn't share much about what they did to their son, saying some of it wasn't for children's ears. Somnus didn’t care for it all that much though, almost hating their job as it made them far too busy for him even when they spent most of their time working from home.

Somnus cautiously went to grab his own breakfast, still waiting for some type of reprimand. But nothing happened, though his parents stopped talking about whatever they were conversing about when they noticed him. They instead wished him a good morning, joked about how he looked like a zombie today and then proceeded to leave the house once they were ready. They said they were going to several meetings with fellow colleagues today and would be back in the evening.

The two adults waved goodbye to a visibly exhausted Somnus before they left, telling their son to behave and to maybe head back to bed for a few more hours of sleep. Their child, only 8, was left alone when they were out. The boy wished he could ask them to stay as he did not want to be alone today. He didn't say anything though, already knowing it would not happen. He tried other times but his parents said their work was too important and Somnus would feel guilty for bothering them. They used to drop him off at a daycare last summer but decided to stop doing it this time, saying he was big enough to stay home by himself now.

Somnus felt a shiver of fear once he was alone, his house feeling as if it was far too big and open. If Ardyn were to break free, he could easily hide himself. There were many places he could be lurking and Somnus would never know until it was too late. They boy regret ever stepping foot upstairs. He should have listened to his parents. If he didn't know about Ardyn, he wouldn't be as afraid now.

After putting his dishes in the sink, Somnus hurried back to his room and shut the door behind him. The boy grabbed his blanket from the closet then jumped into bed, wrapping it around himself. He made sure to take Draco inside his makeshift cocoon. Only his face was left bare once he was done and he felt a little more protected in this position. The child then lay there and faced the door to his room. He would be able to see if anyone tried to come in this way as it did not lock. He’d just stay here until his mom and dad came back home.

Somnus tried hard not to fall asleep. His eyes felt so heavy though and the warmth of his cocoon made him rather sleepy. He forced his eyes back open every time they closed for too long but eventually lost the fight. He felt himself drift off, the last thing he saw being his door and the winding symbol his dad drew on it. The boy didn't know what it meant, but there were similar ones on every door of the house. 

The child woke up an unknown amount of time later. He bolted upright, feeling his heart hammering in his chest. He glanced around wildly, an uneasiness settling around him. Light streamed in from his window but he still found himself afraid. Somnus froze when he looked over at his door, seeing it slightly ajar.

_He’d... Closed it, hadn’t he?_ The boy thought to himself. 

Slowly, unfurling himself from the blankets, Somnus slipped off the bed. Swallowing audibly from his fear, he then tiptoed to the entrance of his room. He took a moment to peer through the crack of the door and saw nothing out in the hallway. The child closed it gently, breathing out a sigh of relief as he did.

Somnus didn't know what time it was but he hoped his parents would be back soon. He’d just stay in bed until then. He turned around, intent of hiding in his cocoon once more. 

Only… He found quickly that he wasn’t as alone as he thought he was. There had been someone _behind_ him.

A tall, dark figure, it’s face and body shrouded in darkness stood a few feet away. No features were visible, not any clothing or a hint of a face. The boy’s eyes widened and he froze in absolute terror. He knew in his mind that he should run but found his body frozen as the figure took a slow step forward. 

And then one more.

It raised one shadowy limb towards Somnus.

When it’s hard reached for him, almost like Ardyn’s did in the attic, did Somnus finally find it in himself able to move. His back hit the door as he stepped back and he screamed as loud as he could. He covered his eyes and allowed himself to slide down until he sat on the floor. He was too terrified to do more than sit there and whimper while he prayed someone somewhere might have heard him and would come to his rescue.

After several minutes of clenching his eyes shut and whimpering, Somnus felt no one grab him. Trembling, he opened his eyes and peeked through his fingers. 

There was no one else in his room. The shadowy figure was gone. 

The child sat there for several long moments before he forced himself to move. He once again hid himself in his closet but this time began to sob as he curled in his refuge. He knew he must have still been half-asleep and imagined the figure but he was still frightened. The knowledge didn’t ease his fears and he prayed for his parents to come home. 

* * *

Somnus made sure to stay by his mom and dad when they arrived later that evening. He was quiet, glancing around often for any sign of someone else as he watched his mother make dinner. He startled easily, over little things like his dad walking up behind him to ask what he’d been up to today. 

If his parents noticed something odd about his behavior, they didn’t mention it. They probably didn’t even notice though. Both adults were talking in hushed whispers about whatever they learned today. Somnus felt a little sad that they couldn’t see how scared their son was.

That night, Somnus was almost too terrified to go to bed. He took Draco with him and huddled under his sheets. He broke down and asked his mom to stay but she just said they received some important information that day that needed to be worked on immediately. 

Somnus didn’t argue, he just nodded. His mom kissed him on the head and wished him a good night. 

The child heard his parents rummaging around the kitchen soon after. _Were they bringing food to Ardyn?_ The boy thought as he heard their footsteps on the stairs. He’d never thought it odd they did this so many other nights. Now he could only wonder.

It was quiet after, and though Somnus was afraid, he once again fell asleep.

* * *

“ _Somnus.”_

The whisper of his name came from nearby. The boy could almost _feel_ that someone else was in his room as he awoke. Somnus felt his heart stop and his eyes shot open. All he saw was darkness however as he had pulled the blankets over his entire body this time. The boy stifled a whimper of fear and did not move. He knew he must be dreaming again but his immediate terror was real.

Heavy footsteps, the sound of bare feet, approached the bed. Even in darkness, it seemed as if a shadow was cast over Somnus by the figure no doubt standing right beside him. The child closed his eyes, his breathing becoming more erratic as his fear intensified.

“ _Brother…_ ”

The blanket was grabbed roughly and pulled away. All Somnus caught was a glimpse of golden eyes in the darkness of his room and he screamed. 

* * *

Somnus woke up crying out for his parents, his sheets still over him. His father came rushing down the stairs and was in his son’s room in under a minute.

“Somnus!” His father called out and then asked. “What’s wrong?”

Somnus couldn’t even tell him. When his dad sat on his bed, the boy leapt into his arms. He began to cry as he grabbed his father in an uncomfortably tight embrace. 

His father continued to ask him what the matter was but Somnus couldn't even manage to speak from his gasping sobs. It took some time for him to calm down enough to tell his dad he'd had a bad dream.

“Can’t you stay?” Somnus asked some time later, when he’d calmed down entirely.

“Somnus… I can’t. Not tonight… Your mom and I are doing something very important… You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“But dad-” Somnus’s voice wobbled.

“I know you’re scared but it was just a bad dream.” The elder Caelum tried to console. “Dreams can’t hurt you.”

“I know.” Somnus responded, dejected. Why couldn’t his dad just stay this one time? He didn’t even _want_ to fall back asleep. Not after what happened these last two times.

“You remember what I always say when you’re afraid of something?” 

“Face it.” Somnus whispered. His father had always told him to face his fears. To prove to himself that he would not be controlled by them.

“Yes. You have to face your fears, Somnus. I know you can do it. You’re a big boy now.”

Somnus took a deep, shuddering breath. He feigned confidence and nodded to his father, letting go of him. 

“Good.” The elder Caelum smiled at his son. “I'm going to leave the light on, alright? I’ll be right upstairs if you need me.”

“Okay.” Somnus responded. Not really okay with it though. “Good night, dad.”

“Good night, Somnus.”

Somnus watched his father leave and shut the door behind him. The boy curled up in his blankets, clutching Draco to him as he told himself over and over again that he was _big and strong and not afraid_. It helped a little, enough that he eventually fell asleep again.


	3. Chapter 3

It took almost two weeks before Somnus made the decision to go back upstairs despite his fear of Ardyn. He had occasional nightmares throughout that time but they were not as terrible as those first few nights. Even they were enough to make the child feel exhausted though. He had dark circles under his eyes from his inability to sleep longer than a few hours at a time.

The boy’s parents noticed and told him to get to bed earlier. They believed he spent far too long playing with his toys instead of going to sleep. Their son didn’t tell them the real reason, not wanting to be questioned on what kind of dreams he’d been having. He thought he might accidentally reveal what he’d done by mistake. 

Instead of going to his parents for comfort, the frightened child lay in bed almost every night with the unsettling fear that he was not alone. He’d awaken in a cold sweat thanks to his dreams or the occasional noise from the attic. The sounds came more frequently now, as if Ardyn was restless or maybe still angry.

Somnus still imagined things but he tried to do as his father said and face his fears. The boy would close his eyes when he glimpsed something. He would take a breath, calm himself down, and then open his eyes to see that everything was alright. There was no tall, dark shadow in the corner of the room, in his closet or behind his parents. He was just seeing things. Somnus was terrified when he was alone but he was managing it better than before as he had no choice. Mom and dad just had too much to do to stay with him.

The child thought about the man more and more as the days passed. About what he implied. He had so many questions. Ardyn was his brother? But… Why were his parents hiding him up there? And why didn’t they tell Somnus? Was Ardyn ‘sick in the head’? Like his friend said about her grandmother? The girl said her mom and dad put her in the hospital. Maybe his mom and dad didn’t want to do the same? 

But... It didn’t seem like Ardyn was having a good time up there. He looked like the people Somnus’s teachers told all the kids at school to stay away from. A kind of person that lived on the streets because they had bad habits. His teachers never really explained what those habits were though.

Somnus found himself feeling sorry for Ardyn. He recalled the man’s hand reaching out for him. Even through his terror, the boy had seen the marks on his wrists. What looked like scars and bruises, maybe from trying to free himself from the metal. His skin had been really pale. Somnus remembered his own skin looking like that once when he’d gotten really sick and could barely eat or sleep for a week. His parents spent all day with him, making sure he was cared for. But that was a long time ago. 

If Ardyn was sick, the boy didn’t think it was okay for him to be locked away like that. But he knew he wasn’t an adult and didn’t know everything. His parents said he had a lot to learn still when he whined about things he didn’t understand.

But unlike those other times, Somnus could not ask his parents what was going on. He knew they would be angry with him and he didn’t want to get in trouble. He knew something was wrong with this situation however. 

Did other people have strange men chained up in their home too? Somnus wasn’t sure. And he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to ask if they did. No one else had ever said anything to him about having someone like Ardyn in their house. His curiosity was slowly getting the better of him. As the days passed he began to feel the need to know what was going on. His nightmares made sure he could not forget about the man in the attic.

The boy knew there was only one person, save his parents, that he could try and to go for answers. Ardyn himself could tell him everything if Somnus was brave enough to go back. 

The thought of the man caused an instinctive shiver of fear in the boy. He’d looked so angry when he’d reached for Somnus. But lately Somnus had begun to think. If his parents locked Somnus away for a long time maybe he’d be angry too. Or maybe that Ardyn just couldn’t help it. 

The boy knew the man would not be able to get him if he was careful. Ardyn could have caught him easily enough in the attic if he really could free himself. Somnus could just go up there one more time. Just to ask a few questions.

* * *

Somnus lay in bed and waited for his parents to go to sleep. Thankfully they went to bed early. They’d been out all day from morning until well past evening. They looked pretty tired when they came home. Somnus had noticed his mom’s eyes seemed red, like she’d been crying. His dad too, had been rather quiet.

Mom and dad sent Somnus off to bed while they went upstairs. The child noticed they brought a few containers of food with them when they arrived home. He saw them take them upstairs.

The boy was careful to wait a full hour before he snuck out of his bed. He almost didn’t want to but he knew he might never know the truth if he didn’t do this. Even if he was afraid, he had to be brave. 

Somnus was already ready, not having changed into his pajamas and having kept his flashlight underneath his pillow. He’d even thought about bringing one of his many toy swords but knew they wouldn’t really help. He also thought about bringing a real knife but he felt he’d just hurt himself. And he didn’t think Ardyn would appreciate seeing that.

What Somnus did want to bring was an offering. Maybe if he gave Ardyn something he’d be a little nicer? He didn’t really know what Ardyn liked but Somnus liked pizza. And there was almost a full one left over from Somnus’s dinner. As an apology, his dad had ordered pizza to be sent to the house since they were not going to be back in time. The child now had enough of his favorite food for another day, maybe even two.

Somnus wasn’t sure if Ardyn would like it but he snuck out of his room to the kitchen anyway, making sure to take Draco too. The toy still helped him feel less afraid. 

While grabbing the pizza out of the fridge, the boy smelled the food his parents had brought earlier. He looked around, wondering why the scent was so strong. He saw the top of one of the take-out boxes poking out the garbage and went to investigate after setting his pizza box, flashlight and Draco down. 

The child frowned at what he saw. All of the containers his parents brought were open and spilling out their contents into the bin. It looked as if they had been full when thrown away. There were many tissues, soiled with the very food thrown out. Somnus wondered if something was wrong with his mom and dad. It wasn’t the first time there had been food tossed out like this. 

Putting it out of his mind, the boy then gently grabbed a plate off of the dishrack and set two slices of his favorite food upon it. He returned the pizza box to the fridge and made his way to the stairs.

* * *

The door was thankfully not fixed yet and Somnus opened it with ease. He carefully crept upstairs, once again anticipating being caught. He ascended slowly, straining his ears to make sure no one was coming. The night was silent but for his own soft footsteps. The child knew he shouldn’t be doing this but he felt like he had no choice. Once upstairs, he set everything he’d been carrying down to pull the cord leading to the attic. 

After that, Somnus had to stop for a moment. He could feel his heart pounding with the fear he was feeling. He imagined Ardyn reaching for him again, his form mixing with the shadowy figure he’d been imagining these last few weeks. It caused him to freeze.

The boy breathed in and out, willing himself to calm down. _Ardyn can’t hurt me._ Somnus repeated to himself as he forced himself to grab Draco and held the toy tightly against his body. _I can face my fears._

Slowly, the mantra helped. The child’s fear subsided enough that he was able to grab the plate and flashlight and then take his first step onto the stairs. He then turned on his flashlight, carefully maneuvering so that he could walk up without dropping anything.

Once up, Somnus heard a soft voice whispering. He was confused for a moment. Was Ardyn... Talking to himself? Mom and dad were still downstairs, Somnus was sure of that. He began to feel uneasy as he walked further into the attic.

The child told himself to be brave and opened his mouth to speak, albeit softly. “Ardyn? Are you here?”

“You’re back.” Ardyn said from the darkness. His voice caused Somnus to feel a jolt of fear but he pressed forward anyway. Ardyn was still in the attic. This meant for sure everything he’d experienced outside this place was just his nightmares and his fears getting the better of him. 

“Yeah…” Somnus responded as he tentatively rounded past the boxes, seeing now the broken remains of the plate from last time were gone, and stepped to where Ardyn was. He was careful with the flashlight, shining it near the man but not directly at him. 

Just as he thought, Ardyn was still chained up. The man was sitting on the floor, looking rather tired. He looked at Somnus with a guarded expression. 

“And why might that be?” The man asked.

“I umm, brought some food for you. Do you like pizza?” 

Ardyn was silent for a moment, but then barked out a laugh. “I made you run off scurrying like a frightened mouse and you come back to offer me a meal?” 

“I’m not scared anymore.” Somnus said, trying to believe it himself.

“Is that so?” Ardyn smirked at the obvious lie.

Somnus didn’t respond. Instead he asked, while holding the plate forward. “Did you want it?”

“You know what? I think I would.” Ardyn pushed himself to his feet, stumbling for a brief moment. He stepped towards Somnus and the boy felt the urge to run back. He stood his ground however.

As Ardyn came to him, chains clinking, he touched something on a nightstand nearby. Instantly a soft light illuminated the attic from above. It wasn’t very strong but it was better than Somnus’s toy flashlight. With the light things seemed worse up here. The engravings and markings he’d seen before were all over the walls. Even around the floor, mostly where Ardyn ‘lived’. That being wherever the chains reached.

The man didn’t seem to have much. There was an old bed in one corner, the sheets printed with a character from an old cartoon Somnus didn’t quite recognize. There was a bookshelf beside that that held a fair number of books. There was no TV or game system that the child could see. Ardyn must have been really bored up here if he was left like this all day.

Ardyn himself looked pale, even more so than before. He also looked much skinnier than before, with dark bags under his eyes. He really did look both sick and tired. The child found himself feeling sorry for him.

Somnus held out the plate when Ardyn was close enough, at the very limits of his chains. The man didn’t take the offering and looked at Somnus sharply. In a neutral tone, he then ordered. “Take a bite out of each.”

Somnus tilted his head curiously. “Why?”

“A precaution.”

Somnus was confused. Maybe Ardyn was like his friend’s grandmother, he thought to himself. Who _wanted_ someone to take a bite out of their food? But as Ardyn instructed, Somnus took a small bite of each slice. Even cold as it was, the pizza was _really_ good. Somnus found himself hungry for more even though he’d eaten just a few hours prior. If Ardyn wasn’t going to eat this, then Somnus just might.

Ardyn waited until Somnus swallowed before he held his hands for the food. 

“Do you parents know you’ve come up here?” Ardyn asked, moving back to set the plate on the nightstand nearby. Somnus noticed a cord laying on top of it with a switch. That must be what Ardyn flipped to turn on the light. It seemed the man wasn’t going to eat his food right away.

Somnus froze when questioned, wanting to lie. But he realized quickly that he wasn’t a very good liar. And he wanted Ardyn to be honest with him too. In a small voice, the child admitted… “No.”

“Really?” Ardyn was looking at him rather intently, uncomfortably so. “So you just decided to wander up here by yourself?”

“... I keep hearing noises at night. Mom and dad don’t let me upstairs at all… I just wanted to know what was here.”

Ardyn continued to stare. Did he think Somnus was lying?

“What do you think they might do once they find out? What if I were to tell them tomorrow night?”

“I’d get in trouble.” Somnus hoped he wouldn’t though. Ardyn didn’t tell his parents about him yet. Maybe he wanted to keep it a secret?

“And so why then would you return?”

“I wanted to ask why you’re up here... I wanted to know if you really are my brother.” The child said truthfully. 

Ardyn’s eyes were narrowed on him and Somnus felt like he was being judged. For a brief second, the boy thought he saw something behind Ardyn. A shadow, leaning over to whisper in his ear. But it was gone in a flash.

Somnus rubbed his eyes. Mom once said people see things when they’re tired. Somnus was scared and tired. He’d been this way since he’d come up here the first time. 

Ardyn’s demeanor seemed to change after hearing Somnus’s answers. He relaxed and finally looked away from him. The man stepped away to pick up the pizza, staring at instead of taking a bite.

“It’s really good.” Somnus urged, hoping Ardyn might accept it. It was his favorite, made with lots of cheese and sauce and topped with chicken. The boy felt he could easily eat that every day and never get bored of it.

Ardyn took a hesitant bite and chewed it slowly. He seemed tense, still staring at the food like it would hurt him. When it didn’t, he seemed to perk up. He smiled and proceeded to tear into the food. Somnus was surprised at the ferocity of it. He reminded Somnus of his neighbor dog with a piece of meat. 

“I am quite famished.” Ardyn said between bites of food at the look Somnus gave him. “And I haven’t had pizza in _ages_.”

“Really? It’s my favorite.” Mom and dad brought take-out a lot. They tried to cook but usually ended up letting the ingredients go bad before they remembered about them. Mom did try for a while to cook more but it didn’t really work. It was back to take-out now but they tried getting the healthier options. 

“A good choice.” The man sighed as he finished his meal. “You don’t even understand how much I _needed_ that.”

Somnus felt he might. He noticed it before but Ardyn looked rather sickly. Was he not eating properly? Or… Were his parents not giving him enough food? He would never think they would do that to someone. Yes they were busy but they always made sure Somnus had food to eat. He’d thought the food they brought was for Ardyn yet it had been thrown out without being eaten.

“It was Somnus, wasn’t it?” Ardyn asked, nearing him again with the empty plate in hand.

The child nodded. 

“Thank you, Somnus.” Ardyn said as he offered Somnus the plate. 

“Oh, uh. You’re welcome.” Somnus said as he took it, relieved his plan worked. Ardyn seemed nicer now that he’d eaten.

“I think I owe you an apology.” Ardyn continued. “I am very sorry for frightening you. I was rather upset last time you saw me.”

“Oh. It’s okay.” It kind of wasn’t. But Somnus was going to try and be nice. He’d been told that was proper.

“Is it? May I hug you then? As an apology?” Ardyn slowly reached out a hand. Somnus shied back, remembering how angrily he’d reached for him before.

“Oh, umm.” He wondered how he was supposed to say no without being mean. Ardyn did seem nicer but...

“You know I’m your brother, right?” Ardyn murmured softly, looking at Somnus with a gentler expression. It didn’t help much, his golden eyes casting an eerie glow, maybe from the light.

“Mom and dad didn’t say…” Somnus wasn’t sure about all this still.

“Well, mom and dad didn’t say I was up here either.” Ardyn reasoned. “I wasn’t going to hurt you before and I promise not to hurt you now. I’ll show you if you come here.”

At Somnus’s continued reluctance, Ardyn sighed. “Please? I’ve been alone all this time. Did you know I’ve been up here for ten years? I don’t think you know how lonely it’s been. When you came to be the other night, it was only then I learned I had a younger brother. I regret how I treated you. I swear it won’t happen again.”

Somnus tentatively stepped closer, feeling a wave of sympathy. Ten years was a long time. The child felt lonely in this house with his parents always so busy. But he at least could go to school or go outside. This man was a little strange but it was probably true he was family. Why would he be here otherwise? Ardyn was probably his brother just like he said.

Mom and dad always said you should give family a chance. They were talking about a cousin of theirs who’d done something wrong but it must mean the same to all family members. This meant he should give Ardyn a chance too.

Even though he was afraid, Somnus took another few steps forward. Ardyn, in turn, knelt down to wrap his arms around Somnus once he was close enough. The child felt he should do the same to give a proper hug but he found himself completely frozen, his flashlight and Draco still in his hands. Staring over Ardyn’s shoulder, he felt a sudden jolt of fear surge through him and his heart began to beat faster. He felt the urge to run, it felt as if his body was _screaming_ it at him.

It was beginning to feel like Somnus couldn’t _breathe._ It felt like Somnus was back in his nightmares. The unsettling presence returned and was felt all around him. The child blinked and something manifested in front of him. The shadowy figure was here, it’s featureless face up close to Somnus’s own. The boy shuddered, his eyes wide in terror and still frozen in the grip of his brother.

“I can feel it…” Ardyn whispered, and the spell was broken. The figure was gone and Somnus felt as if he could move again. Even here, he was still seeing things.

Somnus managed a weak response, almost breathless. ‘What?”

“Your heart. It races. You are afraid.” Ardyn said, continuing to hold him tight. 

“Yes. But I’m… Confronting my fears.” Somnus’s voice grew stronger as he said this. He was _not_ afraid. He told himself that over and over again. This was his brother. He said he wouldn’t hurt him.

“What a strong, brave brother you are.” Ardyn praised, moving one of his hands and beginning to run his fingers through Somnus’s hair. “I’m proud of you.”

It might have felt nice as it was similar to something his mom used to do but Somnus was still afraid. Eventually, Ardyn let go and backed away. Somnus took a few steps backward until he was safely out of reach.

“See? No harm.” Ardyn smiled at Somnus. “No need to be afraid of me.”

Somnus was unsure what to say. Thank you? For not hurting him?

“If you want, we can be a family. You’d just have to let me go.” Ardyn said as he held out the chains to him. “I can tell you how to open these.”

“I…” Somnus wasn’t sure what to say. Mom and dad had to have a reason for doing this, right?

“No?” Ardyn sighed, not looking too bothered at Somnus’s reluctance. “I suppose you don’t trust me.”

“... Sorry.” Somnus said, looking away. He did want to help Ardyn but he just wasn’t sure. He wished he could ask his parents.

“It’s alright. I understand I am asking for too much. You know nothing about me.”

“Can you tell me about yourself? Why mom and dad keep you up here?”

“It is… A long story. One not for the ears of children.”

“I like stories.” Somnus quickly argued, knowing he was close to learning the reason. “And I’m eight! I’m a big kid now.”

“If it’s stories you want, I can tell you plenty. Maybe I’ll tell you mine… But not yet.” Ardyn offered. “Just come visit me when you want to hear one.”

Some of Somnus’s friends said their parents read them stories almost every night. His used to but they never did anymore. They were too busy in their study reading stories for themselves.

Somnus nodded and then added. “Mom and dad don’t read me stories anymore.”

“They don’t? Well, do not worry. I can do it for them. I am, after all, your big brother.”

The thought of having a big brother seemed nice. He could be someone Somnus could go to when mom and dad were busy. It didn’t seem like Ardyn was as scary as he first thought. He still really wanted to know why he was up here but he would have to wait to learn the reason. He might tell him eventually.

“Okay.”

“Good. And perhaps… You could come with some more of that pizza next time?” Ardyn asked, looking almost embarrassed at his request. 

Somnus found himself smiling at his brother for the first time and he nodded enthusiastically.


	4. Chapter 4

Somnus felt strangely uneasy as he tiptoed back to his room. He made sure to shut the door to the stairs after he carefully descended. It felt almost like there was a weight on his shoulders. He shivered and rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe it was because he was scared, he thought to himself. 

The boy passed by a mirror in the hallway, glimpsing his own reflection, and immediately froze. He let out a gasp when he saw not only himself but the shadow right there behind him. The figure had its hands around his shoulders, its faceless visage seeming as if it was staring at him even without visible eyes. Somnus bit back a scream and, as always, the shadow was gone an instant later.

Somnus let out a faint whimper and shuddered in fear, clutching Draco to him. He hated this. He knew there was nothing there. Monsters didn’t exist. So why did he keep seeing the figure? And why was he so _afraid_?

The child hurried to his bed, only just remembering not to slam the door to his room. He leapt into his bed and cocooned himself and Draco in his sheets. Somnus clenched his eyes shut, just wanting to fall asleep so the night could be over. The heavy feeling didn’t leave him, even as he finally felt himself drift off sometime later. 

Somnus had another nightmare. 

In it, it was Somnus and not his brother that was chained and locked away in the attic. He could feel the weight of the chains, the cold metal against the skin of his wrists. There was only darkness surrounding him and the boy found himself terrified of it. He called out for someone to help him. His parents, his friends, the police, _anyone_. 

But no one came for Somnus. He was left alone, sobbing in the dark as he pulled at his restraints. The boy felt so helpless, alone and terrified. 

Somnus awoke the next morning with tears in his eyes, the feelings of the nightmare lingering even as he realized it was just a dream. 

* * *

  
  


Somnus lay in bed for a while after he awoke. He found himself feeling terrible for Ardyn. Had his brother felt like that? Did he scream and yell and cry and have nobody come for him? Ardyn was alone in that attic pretty much all day. He must have been so lonely up there. Thoughts like this swirled in the boy’s mind as he stared at the ceiling of his room.

The child forced himself out of bed when he heard his mom and dad rummaging around in the kitchen. He realized it was probably best to get up and get some breakfast for himself. After Somnus changed, he headed towards his door and found it open a crack. He was confused and then thought his parents might have checked up on him as he was asleep. The knowledge sent an icy chill through him. They could have easily found out he was not in his room had Somnus stayed too long with Ardyn. 

Somnus knew he would have to be careful now. As the child opened the door fully to let himself out, he noticed something else amiss. The symbol his dad painted on the door was damaged. The paint had been scratched off, breaking the winding pattern. Had Somnus done that in his fear the other night when he’d backed up into it? Or had he scratched it off by accident some other time? He hadn’t really paid close attention to the symbol for a long time.

Whatever the reason, the boy hoped his dad didn’t notice. He’d been the one to carefully paint on all the doors in the house. Somnus didn’t know what the symbols meant but his parents seemed to think they were important.

Somnus left the room quickly, shutting the door behind him. He went into the kitchen where his parents were. His mom was cooking and his dad was at the table drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. Both smiled and wished him a good morning and Somnus responded with the same. The boy then sat down at the table as his mother began to mix some batter for pancakes.

The family sat down together before they began eating. Somnus looked at the fourth chair at their table and thought it would be nice if Ardyn could take a seat here too. He felt a wave of sadness thinking of his brother. The boy glanced at his parents, wondering why they did that to their eldest son. His parents didn’t notice their son’s gaze or wandering thoughts, beginning to dig into their breakfast. 

Somnus made a promise to himself in that moment. One day, Ardyn would sit and eat at a table like this just like a regular person. With Somnus. Now feeling a little better, the child then proceeded to drizzle an obscene amount of syrup on his pancakes before he began to eat.

Throughout the rest of the day, the feeling of being watched returned. The boy’s parents were working upstairs and Somnus could sometimes hear them talking to each other and one of the many people they occasionally called. The child kept looking around, feeling like he should see _someone._ He was glad he never did but it didn’t make the feeling go away. He felt constantly on edge. Somnus wished he could just walk right on up the stairs to stay in the company of his parents. But he knew that would not happen and so he would have to suffer feeling this way alone. Even when his parents were only a floor away.

Somnus tried to stay busy to make the day go faster and to help ignore his fear. He watched cartoons, played with his toy sword collection, went out to play pretend in the backyard with Draco and then finally wound down with some coloring before going to bed. He sat against his headboard, not laying down in case he fell asleep. He had a habit of falling asleep wherever he laid down and he refused to succumb to it tonight. 

Ardyn was waiting for him.

The child watched the clock on his bedside table, waiting for a full hour to pass after his parents went into their own bedroom. He felt anxious as he slipped out of his bed once enough time passed. This time he was more careful. Somnus tiptoed around his room and picked up a pile of clothing and toys to stuff under the blankets of his bed. If his parents looked in his room, they would assume Somnus was asleep. 

… He hoped at least. 

After Somnus was done, he turned towards the door. It was time to go to the attic again.

* * *

  
  


Despite his heart feeling as if it would burst out of his chest the entire time, Somnus made it to the attic without incident. He brought Draco, his flashlight and some pizza just like the other night. The boy had to hide the slices deep in the fridge and pretend he’d eaten it for dinner. His parents had not made anything for themselves today and instead eaten some of the leftovers. They’d left two slices for their son which normally would have been enough for a child. 

But Somnus wanted to give them to Ardyn. And so he decided he’d just go hungry and give what was left to his brother. The child snuck some snacks later on and that had helped ease the hunger he’d felt from not eating.

“You came back again.” Ardyn said, seeming almost surprised when Somnus appeared from behind the boxes. He was sitting by the nightstand, the light already on.

“I said I would. And I brought pizza, see?” Somnus said with a smile as he proudly held out the plate of food. “It tastes even better warm but the microwave is too loud. I hope that’s okay?”

“It is. I’d be willing to eat anything you bring me at this point anyway. As long as it is edible, of course.” Ardyn responded, looking eagerly at the food.

“Mom and dad haven't been giving you anything to eat?” Somnus asked cautiously, not knowing how Ardyn may react. Even he could tell he didn’t seem to like them. He remembered seeing the containers in the garbage. Was Ardyn refusing to eat? And maybe he had a good reason since they locked him away like this. But it was hard for Somnus to see his parents doing something like this to their son for no reason. They were busy but he knew they loved him. They would love Ardyn too, wouldn’t they? There had to be something else going on.

Ardyn froze at the question and Somnus could see his brother’s face change at the mention of their parents. His eyes narrowed and his lip curled. His expression caused Somnus to take a step back, feeling a little scared.

“Let’s not speak of them right now, little brother. You may not like what I have to say.” The chained man finally said after his face had returned to a more neutral expression.

“Oh… Okay.” Somnus was still curious but he knew when to let things go. Ardyn might tell him another time. Though he had been scared just a moment ago, Somnus felt something at being called ‘little brother’. It was strange, but also a little nice. In his mind, it was helping him accept the fact that he did in fact have a big brother.

“Let us change the topic to something we would both enjoy.” Ardyn offered. “Stories. After I eat I will tell you one.”

Somnus nodded, cautiously walking towards his brother and handing over the plate. Ardyn took it eagerly, immediately biting into a slice of pizza. This time he took his time with it, eating it slowly. He probably hadn’t had time to even taste his food last night with how fast he’d devoured it. It was different today.

The boy stood by and waited for Ardyn to finish but his stomach suddenly rumbled at the smell of the pizza. Somnus hadn’t felt hungry before but as he watched his brother eat he began to feel the beginnings of hunger as well. He hadn’t been able to eat a full dinner today, after all.

Ardyn paused before finishing his first slice and looked over to Somnus. The child blushed and looked away from him . He mumbled out an apology as his stomach let out another sound.

“Are you hungry?” The older man asked.

Somnus thought about lying but his stomach had already given him away. He nodded. Ardyn frowned in response and Somnus found himself hurriedly explaining why.

“There wasn’t much pizza left so I had to pretend to eat it.” Somnus admitted, feeling a little silly as he did. He should have just grabbed something for himself when he got Ardyn's food or just eaten something more filling after dinner. His parents had been upstairs the entire time but he’d been too afraid of being caught and questioned. He didn’t trust himself to not say something he shouldn’t. “... And then I got scared mom and dad might ask why I was eating so much again. I didn’t eat much afterwards either.” 

Ardyn just blinked at the explanation. But then, a slow smile began to form on his face. 

“That is rather considerate of you. But I am not someone that would allow my brother to go hungry as I eat in front of his face. Come here.” Ardyn motioned for Somnus to come and, though once again hesitant, the child did and sat down beside him. He felt unsettled being so close but forced himself to relax. Ardyn hadn’t hurt him last time. He promised. He would trust his brother to keep his promises.

And Somnus was right. All the older man did was set the plate he brought on his lap. One slice of pizza remained while half of the other was still in Ardyn’s hand.

“It’s yours.” Ardyn declared, taking another bite of his own slice.

“Are you sure?” Somnus asked, surprised at the offering. Ardyn had been so hungry last night. He was probably just as hungry now.

“I am.” Ardyn answered. “Now eat up. I can’t keep you up here too long. You won’t get any sleep otherwise.”

Somnus gave Ardyn a big smile and thanked him. He felt a warm feeling growing in his chest, overcoming his unease. In his mind, he really questioned why mom and dad did this to Ardyn. He seemed nice, at least after the first incident. 

Both brothers finished their pizza in companionable silence. After they were finished, the elder began to tell his story.

* * *

Ardyn told a tale of a young boy named Astra, a child who was very kind and brave. He lived outside a small village and was loved by all who resided in it. Astra was always willing to help those in need, whether they be humans or beasts. From helping farmers till their fields to hunters catching food to even helping stuck kittens out of trees, this child would do it all to make others smile. He was loved by everyone almost immediately upon meeting him.

Well, _almost._

For this poor boy had the most vile of parents. They were _witches..._ And not the good ones. They were terrible people and enjoyed causing suffering to others. They barely raised their son, leaving him to his own devices. They didn’t know just where their son was going throughout his days. And when they finally did realize where he went and saw how much their son was loved, they became angry and even jealous.

And so the parents decided to lock away Astra from the outside world. They refused to let him see anyone in the village. They didn’t allow him to see the animals he’d saved and befriended. No one knew where the kind child they loved disappeared to. No one knew where he lived after all. Astra hid that from them, fearing what might happen if any of the people he befriended tried to go to his home. 

Astra spent years locked away, longing to be free once more. The boy’s parents tried to make him like themselves. They wanted him to be cruel and heartless so he could hurt others like they did. There was a reason they lived outside the village and were even banned from entering it.

Astra refused to become evil until one day his parents had enough. They decided their own son would be used in their next spell. His life would be used to make his parent’s more powerful and even curse the village for making their son into a ‘weakling’, as they put it.

The boy learned of this and decided he would not allow it. He broke free of his prison and ran from his parents to warn the village. He made it in time and the very people he once helped, helped him in turn. The witches were stopped and imprisoned like they once imprisoned their son. 

After that, Astra was adopted into the village. There he lived happily, far away from his uncaring parents with people who actually loved him.

  
  


* * *

Somnus listened intently to his brother’s story. He felt bad for Astra throughout it. He even felt frightened when Ardyn described what the witches wanted to do with their child for their evil spell. The child found himself happy that Astra was able to run away and find somewhere else to live. His parents shouldn’t have treated him like that and they deserved to be locked away for what they’d done.

Somnus yawned when the story was finished, his eyes felt so heavy. He still hadn’t been able to sleep very well thanks to his nightmares.

“That was a good story. I’m glad the Astra made it out.” Somnus said, while stifling another yawn.

“So am I. I would offer another tale but you seem a bit tired.”

“No! I can stay up.” Somnus tried to argue even if what Ardyn said was true. Honestly, he didn’t think he could last through another before falling asleep.

“Not tonight.” His brother shook his head with a soft chuckle. “Perhaps not even tomorrow. I’ve had you risk yourself already for me. I don’t want you to get in trouble. Spend a night or two without coming here. Children need an ample amount of sleep to grow.”

“Alright.” Somnus agreed easily. Mostly because he liked that Ardyn seemed to care so much for him already. He stretched, and the plate and Draco fell from his lap.

“You haven’t introduced me to your friend here. And who might he be?” Ardyn said as he stared at the dragon toy.

“Oh. This is Draco.” Somnus said as he picked up the stuffie to show Ardyn. “Umm.. Dad got him for me. For when I get scared or lonely.”

“Did he now.” Ardyn said, his face changing slightly and his eyes seeming to darken for just a few moments. “And does Draco help?”

“Yeah, especially when mom and dad can’t.” 

“Can’t? And why can’t they help?” Ardyn asked, now looking back at Somnus. 

The boy froze, not wanting to say the reason. Mom and dad had told him not to mention certain things to other people. He was sure this was one… But this was his brother.

“Because they are busy. They work a lot. They are always in their study or outside.” The child finally admitted.

“And so this toy is their replacement for them? And out you say? Who do they bring to watch you when they are out?” Ardyn seemed angry, but not at Somnus.

Somnus hesitated and looked away from Ardyn’s intense gaze. “No one. I’m home alone.”

“Somnus…” Ardyn waited until his brother looked at him before continuing. “You know that is not right. You are only a child.”

“Yeah…” He wanted to say he was a big kid like his dad said but maybe he didn’t believe it in reality. He’d been so scared lately. He wanted someone to stay with him when he was frightened. Big kids didn't get scared like he did.

“Are you afraid?” Ardyn asked when Somnus remained quiet.

“Sometimes.” Somnus admitted. “I keep seeing things... A monster. I know it’s not real but... I don't want to be alone.”

“I see…” Ardyn murmured. He moved closer and put a hand on Somnus’s shoulder. “Well, know you have me here even during your most frightened times. If I were free, know that I would not treat you like they do.”

The boy felt something warm in his chest again. It would be nice to have someone else here with him, Somnus thought to himself. Ardyn didn’t seem that bad. A little strange but the boy was told not to judge others.

Despite the warmth, the child began to feel his eyes water. Somnus looked away without responding to Ardyn.  
  


“Are you alright Somnus?” Ardyn asked, seeing that something wasn’t. He grabbed hold of his brother before he attempted to shy away. “It’s okay. You can tell me.”

Somnus hesitated just a moment before basically tackling Ardyn in an embrace. The chained man let out a startled cry, but then quickly recovered to return the embrace. The dark-haired child buried his face into Ardyn’s clothes to try and hide his tears. 

… Somnus absolutely hated that his parents were busy. He didn’t like being alone. He didn’t like feeling like he was bothering them when he wanted to play with them. He didn't want to feel like a baby when he was scared. He felt his body shudder, resisting the urge to bawl. Why couldn’t his mom and dad be like Ardyn? He seemed to care for him more than they did most of the time.

“Somnus.” Ardyn cooed and gently raked a hand through his brother’s hair. “It’s okay. Know that I am here for you.”

“Sorry.” Somnus apologized some time later, sniffling slightly but now a little more in control of his emotions. He let go of his brother, causing Ardyn to do the same. He stayed close however. Ardyn, in turn, just wiped the tears still trailing down the child’s face.

“No. It is not your fault.” Ardyn sighed, his voice carrying a tone Somnus didn’t recognize. He didn’t say whose fault it was but Somnus had a guess. But it wasn’t, was it? It’s not their fault mom and dad were busy. It… Just was. They said he would understand one day. He just had to wait until then.

“Now, I am truly sorry but you must return to your room. Please give yourself a night or two to rest before you come back, alright? And whenever you feel afraid, remember that I am here. You are not alone, not with me on your side.”

Somnus nodded, not really trusting himself to speak. He gave his brother a quick but fierce hug, which Ardyn returned, and then picked up the things he brought with him.

As Somnus pushed the attic stairs back up, he thought he heard something. He froze and listened intently, thinking he could faintly hear Ardyn's voice speaking... But there was no one for him to talk to up there anymore, was there? But maybe Ardyn had a friend like Draco too, Somnus thought to himself. He sometimes liked to talk to his toy when he was lonely.

The child decided to ignore it and quietly headed down the stairs.


	5. Chapter 5

Somnus opened his eyes, blinking heavily from sleep. It was dark in his bedroom, the only source of light being the moonlight from outside his window. The boy lay still, listening intently. He could have sworn he heard something that caused him to wake up. Maybe it was Ardyn moving around upstairs?

The child closed his eyes thinking it may have been just that. He was so tired… But his eyes snapped open again when he heard his door _creak_. Slowly, light began to spill into his room from the hallway outside.

“Mom? Dad?” The child mumbled, thinking it might have been one of them coming to check on him. He didn’t move to look at the door, feeling far too exhausted and far too comfortable snuggled into his blankets as he was. He just waited for his parents to say something. 

It was some time later that Somnus’s sleep addled brain realized he heard no response for quite a while. He sleepily turned his head to look at the door. When his gaze settled on the entrance to his room he gasped. An icy chill gripped his being at what he saw.

There was someone outside the room and it was not one of his parents... It was the shadow, standing still and staring at Somnus from the gap in the door. It might have been there the whole time, watching him as he lay there half-asleep. The boy opened his mouth to call for his parents but he only managed a barely audible whisper. 

The figure began to move. Its body dissolved, turning into a dark cloud-like mist and slipped through the gap of the door. It floated towards Somnus, coalescing above his bed high up on the ceiling.

Somnus was too afraid to move as the dark mist swirled above him. All he could do was fearfully clutch his blankets and hyperventilate in his terror. Even in his fear, the boy _knew_ he was seeing things just as he had every other time. But... It always felt so _real_. 

The figure began to come out from the mist, it’s hands emerging to first to press against the ceiling on either side. It then pushed its face and torso from out of the darkness. Its body began to drop down, horrifically elongating as it lowered towards Somnus. 

The boy shut his eyes tight and turned away from the featureless face nearing him. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He wanted to scream aloud but could not find the strength. Shivering in fear, he lay there and prayed for his parents to come. Soon, the child felt a cold breath on his cheek and his heart felt like it would stop.

* * *

Suddenly, Somnus felt like he was floating. He felt disoriented and a wave of dizziness washed over him. His head throbbed for a few moments, painfully so. 

The boy tried to shake it off and opened his eyes. To his surprise, he saw nothing but darkness. It was pitch black around him. It had not been this dark in his room, Somnus thought to himself in confusion. He was even more startled when he noticed he could no longer feel the weight or warmth of his blankets nor his soft bed beneath him. 

The child found himself on his back on a hard wooden floor. There was a cold weight on his wrists and Somnus touched them to find them encircled in metal. Chains, the boy thought. He was chained up… Just like Ardyn. 

Despite his rising panic, Somnus pushed himself into a sitting position and tried to figure out how he came to be here. He thought he was dreaming but he still found himself afraid. He didn’t like this, being alone in the darkness. He felt unsafe, like something would jump out at him any second. 

Somnus opened his mouth and called out for help. His voice seemed to echo around him. The boy hugged himself as he waited. If this wasn’t a dream, surely his parents would come for him.

A minute passed, then two and the only sound came from Somnus himself and his harsh breathing. He attempted to keep calm but it was hard to in such circumstances. The boy crawled forward but the chains held him back after only a few feet. He grabbed one of them and frantically tried to pull it from wherever it may be attached to. But even though he used all his strength, the chain stayed where it was.

Somnus called out again, his voice much louder this time. Once again, there was nothing. The child felt so alone and his terror began to overtake him.

“ _Mom! Dad!”_ Somnus begged, crying now. His voice broke as he shouted for his parents. If this was a dream, the boy wanted to wake up.

Desperate, Somnus called for the only other person who might be able to help him. The only person who would understand what he was going through now. Because this likely was what his brother went through.

“ _Ardyn!_ ” 

This time, the boy heard something in the darkness. Footsteps began to near. Soon, two figures approached, one carrying a lantern. The light was fairly dim and he could hardly make out anything even when it was brought closer. 

“I _knew_ it.” One figure hissed, her voice familiar. Mom? Somnus thought to himself. “He disobeyed us.”

“He’s just like him.” The other said, his voice far colder than Somnus could remember. “This one is a lost cause too.”

“There is no room in this house for children who disobey.” His mother was saying.

“What?” Somnus uttered in shock. What were they saying? What were they _doing?_

“Best to get rid of them. We can always try again.” His dad said. Somnus saw his mother nod. Slowly, one of the figures raised a hand and the child saw the glint of metal. A knife. 

_No._

“ _Mom? Dad?_ ” Somnus gasped. This couldn’t be happening. They wouldn't do this. His parents loved him… But in the back of his mind, he remembered Ardyn. His parents had locked Ardyn away for most of his life. The fear Somnus felt here while alone in the dark was what Ardyn felt all the time.

“I… I’ll be good. _Please_ … Please don’t do this.” The child began to beg as his parents drew nearer. Tears streamed down his face and he trembled in terror. He couldn’t find it in himself to move even though he knew he should.

Somnus screamed in horror when the knife was raised high and then came down towards him.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Somnus woke up in his bedroom, tears in his eyes and the sheets tangled around him. He leapt out of bed and ended up crashing to the floor in his panic. His chin hit the ground painfully. He let out a cry but quickly disentangled himself to run out of his room.

The boy immediately ran to his mom and dad’s room but paused with one hand raised outside their door. The nightmare still fresh in his mind, he found himself hesitant to see them. It had felt so real. For a while Somnus had truly believed they were going to hurt him.

Allowing his still erratic breathing to calm, Somnus repeated in his mind that it was all just a dream. Only then was he able to find the courage to knock on the door before him. However, he was only met with silence. 

Anxious, Somnus opened the door and peeked his head in. His parents weren’t there and the child felt a wave of helplessness. They’d likely slept in one of the rooms upstairs again, a place he was not allowed to venture. The child then rushed towards the stairs as he wished for comfort after such a terrible nightmare. 

“Mom!” Somnus called out. “Dad!” 

Just like in his dream, Somnus was given no response. They might have been unable to hear him from down here if they were asleep. The child felt such an intense desire to run upstairs but he knew he’d only get himself in trouble. Somnus began to feel afraid standing out in the open as he was but he also did not want to return to his room.

The boy wished he could just go to Ardyn. He seemed to care for his brother, more than his parents even. He just wanted someone to be near right now. But Somnus couldn’t at this time. He’d just get caught if he tried.

Instead, Somnus hurried to the living room and settled in a spot between the two couches in front of the TV. There was a gap that he could fit through and he curled up inside. With either couch on his sides and the armrests above him, the child felt much more secure in this position. He felt too vulnerable in the open.

The boy stayed there for quite a while until he heard his parents shuffling around upstairs. He quickly scrambled out of his hiding place and threw himself on top of the couch to pretend he’d been there all along. His mom and dad came down the stairs a short time later.

“Hey, bud. You’re up early.” His dad remarked when he saw his son on the sofa. His voice caused a slight shiver of fear for Somnus. The boy told himself again that he’d just had a dream. His parents would never do anything like that in real life.

“Yeah.” Somnus responded softly. He didn’t mention his night, feeling anger bubble up that his parents weren’t there for him when he needed them. He didn’t want to talk about it now.

“You want some breakfast? Your mother’s making pancakes again.”

“No.” 

His dad possibly realized something was wrong. 

“Alright. Well just let us know when you’re hungry.” The man paused, and Somnus thought he might ask what’s wrong. But there was a ping from his phone and he instead turned away to read whatever someone had sent him.

Somnus felt an ache in his chest and his eyes watered after his dad turned away. He felt so alone. 

* * *

Somnus did not visit Ardyn the next few days even though he wished to. Like his older brother wanted, Somnus tried to sleep. He was thankful he didn't have any more awful nightmares like the other night in that time. The child found that he felt strangely uncomfortable around his parents however, likely thanks to his nightmare. He kept trying to put it out of his mind but it was difficult.

On the second day, Somnus’s mother dropped him off at a friend's house to watch movies for the day. It was a little unusual as both his parents seemed too eager in having their son outside the house that day. But despite that, the child had fun and enjoyed having someone else to play with.

It made him a little sad too as Somnus could have this at home... If his parents let Ardyn out.

Somnus was dropped off at home later that evening. Immediately, he felt as if something was wrong. His parents didn’t talk much during dinner and they seemed distracted. The child tried to tell them about his day but they didn’t seem interested. After trying to repeat the same story for a third time because his parents weren't listening, Somnus gave up. He remained silent after that too.

* * *

That night, Somnus raided the pantry for some treats to bring along with him. Along with Draco and his flashlight, he brought a pile of his favorite snacks for Ardyn to try. He hoped his brother would like some of them at least.

As always, the boy was afraid of getting caught as he ascended the stairs but he continued on despite his fear. He hoped his parents never caught him, unsure of what they might do. A brief flash of his nightmare popped into his head and Somnus shook it off. He didn’t want to remember anything of that.

Somnus entered the attic, a shiver running through him as he did. He still felt unsettled coming up here even knowing now that he did not have to worry. He shined his light, careful not to knock into anything as he made his way towards Ardyn with his precious cargo of snacks. 

When he turned the corner, he found the light on but Ardyn was nowhere in sight. Alarmed, Somnus whispered his name out loud. 

The child saw movement out the corner of his eye and turned to see that his brother was laying on his bed. It looked even smaller with his body laying on it. That bed wasn’t fit for an adult of his size.

Ardyn raised his head when he heard his name called. He did not look well, his face was pale, his hair was much messier than before and he looked like he’d fall asleep any moment. 

“Ah, Somnus.” Ardyn's voice was hoarse and he attempted a smile. His body shuddered though and he let out a moan of pain. 

“Are you okay?” Somnus asked, knowing he wasn’t. 

“No, not really.” Ardyn admitted. 

“What happened? Did something happen? Can I help?” Somnus asked several questions at one.

“You can come here.” Ardyn requested and grunted in pain as he moved into a sitting position. “Sit with me.”

Somnus rushed to do as Ardyn asked of him. He dropped the snacks, along with the flashlight and Draco, on the end of the bed and then sat down on the bed beside his brother. The man looked curiously at what Somnus had brought him.

“I wanted to bring you some snacks to try.” Somnus said when he saw Ardyn’s gaze on the packaged food.

“How thoughtful.” Ardyn murmured. “But I do not feel up to eating anything tonight… I don’t quite believe I can manage a story either. Forgive me.”

“It’s okay!” Somnus insisted, not wanting his brother to feel upset. Though the child was looking forward to speaking with Ardyn, his brother wasn’t well. “You can do that another time.”

“I promise that I will.” 

“Can I… Can I ask what’s wrong?” Somnus carefully asked when his brother did not explain what was. Ardyn glanced at him but didn’t say anything. The child could see that he was thinking. After a while, his older brother sighed. 

“... All I will say is that our parents do not want me as I am. They brought someone to... _Fix_ me. As you can see, it did not work.” Ardyn laughed then, his voice sounding bitter. 

“Oh…” Somnus was confused. His parents had done this? Or brought someone that did? But _why?_

“You’ll have to excuse me now dear brother. I am exhausted. I think I may need to lie down again.”

“Did you want me to stay?” Somnus asked, not wanting to leave. His parents weren't there for him. Somnus didn’t want to do that to Ardyn. Especially if it was his mom and dad that caused this.

“If you wish.” Ardyn smiled at him, his eyes soft as he looked at Somnus. “But not for too long.”

Somnus nodded and Ardyn shifted to lay back down. The child sat on the edge of the bed until the older man fell asleep. It didn’t take very long, only a few minutes. He really must have been tired.

Somnus yawned, feeling quite sleepy himself. He slipped off the bed and instead sat down beside it. He looked over at his brother, seeing him looking peaceful in slumber. The child knew he should go back down but he felt less lonely up here even while Ardyn was asleep. 

Somnus lay his head on the bed, wishing he could understand the reason for everything happening in this house. Ardyn didn’t want to tell him and he couldn’t ask his parents. Somnus felt terrible for his brother as he didn’t feel like Ardyn deserved this. Just what had he done? It seemed as if his mom and dad were the ones that did something wrong… But how could that be? They were his _parents._ They weren’t supposed to be wrong. 

All these thoughts were confusing for Somnus and he didn’t realize how much time had passed or how tired he really was. Before he knew it, he too fell asleep. 

  
  


* * *

Somnus woke up to someone calling his name and he jerked back in panic. His mind was filled with images from a series of nightmares he’d just had. In them, he was trapped in the attic again but this time no one came no matter how much he screamed. Then he was back in his bed with the shadowy figure. This time it came from underneath his bed, grabbing hold of him and trying to drag him down. And then finally Somnus found himself surrounded in darkness, the urge to _flee_ flooding his being. All he knew at that moment was that he must _run._ Before something came for him, before something _trapped_ him.

His eyes wild in his panic, it took several moments for Somnus to recognize where he was. He noticed Ardyn sitting up on his bed now looking better than before. The older man held a finger up to his mouth and shushed him before he could make a sound.

The child tried to calm himself and his rapidly beating heart. Ardyn slowly made his way off the bed and sat down beside his brother.

“Nightmares?” Ardyn whispered gently, placing an arm around Somnus when he saw that he was still affected. The child shifted closer and wrapped his arms around Ardyn tightly.

“Yeah.” Somnus whispered back. He felt better now that he had someone beside him. This was what he wanted from his mom and dad. For one of them to sit with him, talk to him, give him some comfort. But they rarely did these days.

At least Somnus had Ardyn right now.

“It is alright, Somnus. I too have many nightmares. Know they cannot hurt you. You are safe.” Ardyn said, running a hand through his hair. The younger brother found himself believing him. 

“Thank you.” The child said, grateful for his older brother. Somnus laid his head against him, allowing the last of his fear to slip away. There was silence for a time before Ardyn spoke again. 

“Somnus, I am sorry but you must return to your room.” The man said quietly. “You’ve stayed far too long.”

The child pulled back from the embrace, alarmed when he heard that. Just how long had he been up here?

“It’s still early yet but you may be found out. Go quickly now. I will hide the things you brought me.” Ardyn explained when he saw his brother’s fearful expression.

Somnus nodded, scrambling to his feet. He quickly snatched his flashlight amid the pile of snacks but paused before he picked up his toy dragon.

“Do you want Draco? He helps me sometimes.” Somnus picked up the dragon and offered it to his brother. 

“No, dearest brother.” Ardyn shook his head. “Keep him with you. I have… A friend already.”

“The one I hear you talk to?” Somnus asked.

“You heard?” Ardyn responded, an odd note to his voice. Somnus wondered if he was embarrassed.

“Not what you said but… They must be like Draco. I talk to him too.” The child admitted, hoping that Ardyn would feel better if he was embarrassed. A lot of his friends from school played with their toys like that.

“Ah, I suppose it may seem similar." His brother said, losing the weird tone in his voice. "My friend however tells me about the world, about everything I have been missing out on. I know what I know only thanks to him. He is… He was… All I had at one time.”

“You have me now.” Somnus insisted. And he had Ardyn. 

The boy was a little confused as to what his brother meant though. Maybe Ardyn liked to pretend his friend taught him things. When playing, sometimes Somnus liked pretending Draco was an ancient, wise dragon that he, a brave warrior, traveled towards to try and save his people. The child would act like Draco taught him how he could help others. Maybe his brother liked to do something like that too.

“I do.” Ardyn grinned at him. “Now go. I do not wish to lose you.”

Somnus nodded and did as he asked.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Somnus visited Ardyn as often as he could, which wasn’t as much as he would have liked if he was honest with himself. The boy could now say that he loved his brother like he did his parents, even if he could not quite understand what the latter were doing. He enjoyed being with Ardyn and wished with all his heart that he wasn't trapped in the attic. He felt it wasn’t right but didn’t know what to do. He felt the desire to free him but was unsure how to go about it. And if he did, what then? What would Ardyn do? What would their parents do? 

A part of the child still had faith in his parents. They _had_ to have a good reason for this, right? There just had to… But more and more Somnus questioned their motivations. Ardyn was so _nice_ . He treated Somnus better than his mom and dad did sometimes. The child didn’t think his older brother deserved such treatment from them. Surely there should have been another option other than locking him away. Why did they do _this_? 

All these thoughts plagued Somnus’s head and he was confused as to what he should do. He didn’t want to get in trouble but he also didn’t want to leave things as they were. Until he made a decision, all he could do was visit his brother and hope it made Ardyn as happy as it made him.

It was too risky to go upstairs every day however and the child felt far too anxious throughout every meeting that his parents would find out somehow. He felt that anxiety all the time now, even on days he didn’t go up to the attic. It was rather stressful but Somnus continued to return to his brother. 

Every time Somnus did see Ardyn, he made sure to bring some food. Occasionally the boy would also bring other things to show like his favorite toy sword that he’d won at a fair all by himself. He used to remember that day fondly as he’d had so much fun. But now that memory felt tainted and Somnus felt guilty as he understood Ardyn had likely been left alone at home as his family was enjoying themselves without him. He’d been left behind, all alone in the darkness of the attic.

Somnus also brought to Ardyn a colored drawing of a yellow chicken which ended up looking more like an ostrich. Some of the girls in his class had told Somnus how adorable it was and the praise had helped the child fall in love with the drawing when before he'd been upset with how terrible it looked. He’d kept it up on his wall for the last year and only took it down to show his brother.

Ardyn even enjoyed trying, and failing, to play the handheld console Somnus brought with him a couple of times. It was something the younger brother had been gifted for his birthday last year. He’d been so excited when he’d received it. Again though, the child could not help but feel guilty that he’d received such gifts while his brother was imprisoned. Ardyn didn’t have much up there. No toys, no TV and nothing he could really play with or do. It was so sad.

One of the things Somnus loved most about Ardyn was that no matter what he said, his brother would actually _listen_ to him. The boy could spend almost half an hour talking about his school and his classmates and his brother actually paid attention _._ His parents didn’t do that as much as Ardyn did. The child could tell when his mom and dad weren’t listening and didn’t feel good when it happened. He often heard an absent minded ‘that’s nice dear’ and knew from those words that they hadn’t heard a word he’d just said.

Somnus loved listening to Ardyn too. He enjoyed all the stories his brother told him. He knew so many kinds and the boy wondered from where he’d learned them. Maybe they were from all the books on his shelf but maybe it was also because he knew how to make them up. Maybe Ardyn could be a storybook author one day… When he was let out.

Somnus’s favorites, and it seemed even Ardyn’s, were ones about a lonely boy. One who left his old life behind for a better one. Sometimes he would go alone but other times he’d have a brother. The child liked the latter best. Having a brother was great, he thought to himself. In most stories, the parents of the boy would hardly be around and if they were, they were not very nice. Somnus would always find himself wishing the boy would leave those awful parents behind and live a life somewhere far away from them.

The child attempted to stay awake for the stories but occasionally found himself falling asleep to the sound of his brother’s voice. Ardyn would place Somnus on his own bed afterwards, allowing him to sleep. Not for too long, as the child needed to return to his room. Somnus would feel bad afterwards because it meant Ardyn couldn’t be comfortable. His bed was far too small for both of them to fit easily if they were lying down.

The few times this happened, Somnus would have strange dreams with a voice whispering to him. Upon waking, Somnus would find himself terrified and confused with his heart beating wildly from whatever he’d just seen. The voice in his dream would sound like Ardyn but not quite right. It was darker, scarier. The boy could never recall just what was said to him before he was awakened by a gentle shake from his brother. 

Ardyn would normally be sitting on the floor nearby or at the foot of the bed but would quickly move to sit at the younger’s side to calm him when he realized his brother had a nightmare. Somnus always found it comforting to have someone hug him tightly and tell him it was okay. His parents had stopped doing that and instead told their son to be strong when he was afraid like this. But Somnus couldn’t be like that all the time. 

The boy loved that his brother didn’t seem to mind comforting him unlike his parents. He knew it was because they were likely tired from their work but… Somnus just wanted someone by his side.

* * *

Throughout the next few weeks, Somnus dreamed more often than he ever had before. He dreamed that Ardyn was free and they both did all the things siblings should. The older man took him to the park, helped him with homework and most of all was just there for him. The boy’s life felt perfect with an older brother that cared for him as much as Ardyn did.

Along with the dreams, the nightmares came back and they were _awful_ . The shadowy man made a regular appearance in them. He still made an appearance _outside_ them too but not as often anymore. Somnus still hated that his imagination and fear caused him to see such things when they did not exist in reality. He knew the shadow wasn’t real. His parents always told him monsters and ghosts didn’t exist. Whenever the child saw the shadow, he tried his best to ignore it and it would just disappear because it wasn't real in the first place.

One of the newer dreams Somnus began to have was of him being asked a question by an unknown voice. It was the same one every time. The child would be asked if he would free Ardyn. His brother would be there too, chained up and looking at him with such a sad expression. Even though the boy’s heart cried for his brother’s release, Somnus would hesitate. And so Ardyn would be dragged into the darkness and then the dream would end. The child would feel guilty when he awoke, feeling as if he had done something _wrong_.

Somnus felt sick and exhausted every day. When he looked at the mirror in the morning, he noticed his skin was pale and his eyes had shadows underneath them. The weight on his shoulders he’d once felt before was now always present. Occasionally, the boy might catch a glimpse of darkness behind him while looking in the mirror but nothing more. There was a constant fogginess of his thoughts. He found himself in a bad mood often with nothing but Ardyn able to cheer him up.

The child even began to lose track of time and forget what he’d just been doing. It was not for long but it was concerning. He’d be talking about something to his parents and then not recall just how the conversation went or what anyone said. The few times this happened, his parents would give him strange looks when he’d see them next. Sometimes he’d be playing with his toys in his room and suddenly find himself in the kitchen with no memory of when he’d decided to go there. Sometimes he’d catch himself as he did this, finding himself halfway to out his door. The pressure on his body would feel more pronounced those times. 

Somnus wasn’t sure what was happening but he didn’t say anything to anyone but Ardyn. He thought about telling his parents but whenever he was about to, a sudden irritational fear would take hold of him. He began to worry what they might do. If they’d locked up Ardyn for a reason still unknown to him, might they do that to their other son if they decided there was something wrong with him? The thought didn’t feel right but Somnus felt scared regardless.

Ardyn assured his younger brother that what he was experiencing was likely nothing but exhaustion. The older man guiltily apologized to him for causing him to miss out on sleeping properly for so many nights. He then suggested that Somnus reduce his visits so he could rest up. The child vehemently refused this suggestion and decided not to mention his problems to his brother again. He didn't want to worry him.

Ardyn was too nice. He was willing to be lonely so Somnus could sleep. The child couldn’t do that though. He decided he was willing to suffer a little so his brother wouldn’t have to be alone every night. Even if it did leave him exhausted and seeing things that weren’t there, Somnus would suffer though that to make some of Ardyn’s nights a little happier.

* * *

Somnus’s parents had been acting strangely since the day their son found Ardyn unwell. They were more quiet and distant, always seeming as if they were lost in thought. They spoke little at all to one another in the daytime or even to Somnus. The child could hear their raised voices from their room some nights however. He could not understand what they said but he was concerned as their tones did not sound happy.

They’d forget things too. Misplace their stuff all over the house. Somnus didn’t think much of it… Until they began blaming _him_ for these mishaps.

“Somnus, you need to stop this.” His father snapped at him after misplacing his keys for the third time that week. His mother stood nearby, arms crossed. She’d just scolded Somnus last night for hiding her wallet when in reality she must have forgotten it in the drawer she later found it in. She too thought Somnus was touching things he shouldn't.

“But-” Somnus began, wanting to explain that he hadn’t touched anything. Before he could try, his dad stopped him.

“No buts, son. We’ve told you again and again this needed to stop.” The cold and slightly angry tone of voice was one that was rarely used on Somnus. He found himself shrinking back with shame even though he’d done nothing wrong. “Your behavior these past few weeks has been _atrocious_ and we’ve let it go for long enough. This stops _now_.” 

“But I-” Somnus' voice trembled and his eyes began to tear up.

“Go to your room. Now.” There was no room for argument. Somnus sniffled and dashed into his room. He shut the door and jumped into his bed before bursting into tears. Trying to curl up, he found Draco in his bed and looked at it for several long moments. In anger, he threw his most cherished toy across the room and then huddled in his bed without it.

The child heard his parents talking after that, their voices raised. They were arguing, something they’d been doing more often lately. Somnus didn’t like it when they did. He’d felt the desire to stop them whenever he heard them but this time Somnus didn’t care. He covered his ears and just cried into his pillow. 

For the first time, Somnus truly hated his life.

* * *

Somnus began to wish his life was different. He wanted to be the boy in the stories Ardyn told him. He wanted to leave his life behind and go somewhere else with his brother at his side. Somewhere far happier where he wouldn’t be blamed for things he didn’t do and Ardyn was finally free. His brother even said that if he were released he’d do everything he could to be a good brother to Somnus. 

Nowadays, Somnus only felt happy when he was with Ardyn. He wasted his days watching TV and playing only to eagerly await the next time he was with his brother. Things felt so much better when he was with him.

Somnus began to wish so fervently that Ardyn could be freed from the attic. He knew without a doubt that things would be better with him around. Neither of them would have to be lonely anymore. 

When Somnus suggested that he might talk to his parents, Ardyn seemed horrified. He never explained why but his brother made him swear never to reveal that he knew about him. His reaction caused the child to feel afraid too. What did he think his parents would do?

Somnus wanted to know so badly what was going on but Ardyn rarely explained anything more than what he said that one night he’d found him so exhausted. The boy left it, not wanting to upset his brother with his prying.

  
  


* * *

Two weeks before school started, Somnus was told he was going to his friend’s house once more. The child had a bad feeling about it, his parents having not even asked their son if he wanted to go. He didn’t want to as he felt something wasn’t right. He tried to feign sickness but was still forced to leave. The boy prayed nothing would happen to Ardyn as he was dropped off at his friend's. 

The child was sick with worry the entire time he was out, unable to enjoy watching a movie he'd once been looking forward to. He couldn’t even manage to eat dinner, taking only a few bites before the urge to throw up overcame him. Neither his friend nor his family noticed anything off, the mother just thinking the boy was not hungry.

Somnus returned home later that evening with the urge to run upstairs immediately. Yet it was just not possible. He had to wait even though he was so worried for his brother’s wellbeing.

That night, Somnus almost forgot to stuff his toys under the blanket in case his parents stopped by to see if their son was asleep. Then, he almost tripped on the stairs in his haste to go upstairs. He even forgot to take Draco, his little flashlight or anything else with him. His mind was only focused on one thing and that was his brother. All he wanted was to see if Ardyn was alright. 

When he finally made it up, the child saw that he wasn’t. 

When Somnus dashed past the boxes, he saw that Ardyn was lying in his bed. Once again, the man was pale, even more so than before. His face was turned towards Somnus and his eyes were closed. He appeared to be asleep.

“Ardyn?” Somnus whispered softly, not wanting to disturb him if he was asleep. His brother’s eyes slowly opened, their golden gaze fixing themselves on the boy standing before them. 

“Somnus.” Ardyn mouthed, his voice almost too low to hear. He didn’t even attempt a fake smile like last time. The man tried to sit up but his movements were stiff. He let out a few stifled cries of pain as he moved that tore at Somnus’s heart. 

Ardyn managed to sit up but it was a struggle and left him looking even more exhausted and breathing harshly as a consequence. 

Somnus immediately went for a hug, tears already falling from his eyes as he watched his brother struggle. He didn’t like seeing him like this. Ardyn was strong. Things like this shouldn’t happen to him, _especially_ when they were caused by his own parents.

“It’s alright, Somnus.” Ardyn tried to comfort _him_ when he saw his brother was upset _._ “I’m… Alright.”

“You’re not.” Somnus argued, his voice trembling. Ardyn wasn’t alright and it was all the fault of their mom and dad. What were they _doing_ to him? Softly, the boy whispered. “... I _hate_ them.”

In that moment, Somnus did hate his parents for what they’d done to Ardyn, for what they would continue to do to him. Why was all of this necessary?

“Oh my dear Somnus.” Ardyn murmured and weakly pulled him closer. The child tightened his grip on his older brother, trying hard to stifle the sniffles that had begun. “You... Shouldn’t have to... Deal with this. Seeing your... brother in such a... Sorry state.”

“You… S-shouldn't…” Somnus stuttered and found he couldn’t finish, his words ending in a soft sob. He wanted to say Ardyn shouldn’t have to deal with this more so than anyone else here. 

His brother seemed to understand what he meant and then hushed him. “It’s alright... I’m going to... Be okay.”

Ardyn held onto his brother until he calmed down, gently stroking his hair every so often. It took some time but the man didn’t seem to mind. Somnus finally pulled away to wipe his face off from the tears he’d shed. Immediately afterwards, he tightly latched back onto his brother like he would disappear if he didn’t. Ardyn let out a soft chuckle but didn’t do anything to refuse his clingy brother. 

Ardyn shifted the both of them into a more comfortable position, pulling Somnus onto the bed and resting his back on the headboard before closing his eyes. Somnus too, closed his eyes, resting his head on his brother's chest and taking comfort in his brother’s presence. Hours passed as the two dozed together. 

“Somnus.” Ardyn’s voice caused the younger brother to awaken some time later. The child looked up at his brother, realizing he probably had to go back. He didn’t want to though. He was happy right here, where he could see that Ardyn was okay and safe. But instead of being told to go back to his room, Ardyn asked another question of Somnus. 

“Can you tell me why you hate our parents? Is it because of me? Or has something happened that I am unaware of?” Ardyn looked at his brother intently as he said this. His voice was a little hoarse but it was much stronger than before.

Somnus hesitated, wondering if he should say anything. Ardyn couldn’t do anything and he didn’t want to worry him. But with his older brother looking at him so, Somnus decided he had to tell the truth. He began to tell his brother just how he’d been treated by their parents lately. 

Ardyn was quiet for a time after Somnus finished speaking. The boy saw an unfamiliar expression on his brother’s face. He’d seen it on his own many times but his brother looked _concerned_.

That didn’t seem good and Somnus felt a wave of dread overcome him.

“Somnus.” Ardyn’s tone was careful. “Our parents… Once treated me as they do you. Blamed me for things I had not done. Neglected me almost everyday of my life.”

The older man paused, like he was trying to figure out how to say the next part. Finally he opened his mouth. “Please, my brother, be careful around them. I… I would never wish for you to end up like _me_.”

Somnus froze. It was true, the boy had thought of such a thing happening but it was different when hearing it from another and out loud. His first instinct was to deny it, to say that his mom and dad would _never_ do such a thing. 

But… If they’d done to to one son, why could they not do it to the other?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the long delay. I wasn’t quite feeling this story anymore and found it difficult to continue. I ended up asking for some help so things are moving along once more. It got a bit longer than anticipated so new last chapter will hopefully be posted before the end of next month. Sooner if things go really well. It would be nice to post it on Halloween but I am unsure if it is possible for me. Thank you for any that are continuing to read this.


	7. Chapter 7

The next time Somnus saw Ardyn was two nights later. He brought him something to eat again, which was more of his own favorite pizza that his parents ordered earlier in the day. He also remembered to bring Draco along and placed him on the nightstand before going to his brother.

“You must adore that toy.” Ardyn said as he eyed the stuffed dragon. 

“Yeah.” Somnus nodded as he handed over the plate of cold pizza. He did want to warm it up for Ardyn but felt the microwave was too loud and would alert their parents.

“Does it still help you when you’re scared?” Ardyn asked. 

“Sometimes.” More often though it was Ardyn that helped him now. When before he’d been scared, Somnus now felt far more comfortable up in the attic than anywhere else in his home. The child was still quite attached to Draco though. After throwing him across the room that one night, he’d picked his friend back up the next morning and apologized to him. He’d just been so upset that day. 

“I was never given such things to help alleviate my own fears.” Ardyn's voice was sad. “I wonder if our parents had not locked me away if I would have received such gifts as well.”

“... Is it okay if I bring him up?” Somnus hadn’t realized how Ardyn might feel seeing the toys his brother had been given when he’d never been gifted anything of the same. The attic was bare, no toy or TV in sight. The boy felt some guilt creep up on him for even having Draco. Maybe he shouldn’t bring it up so his brother would not be sad. 

“It is alright.” The older man said but Somnus didn’t feel like it was. The child resolved not to bring his friend next time. He could go up without Draco. He had last time, mainly from all the worry he’d been feeling for his brother, but he could do it again. 

“... If you get out, what would you do?” Somnus changed the subject and asked the question he wanted an answer to most of all. The boy attempted to ask it casually but was uncertain if Ardyn could detect that his voice was just a bit too eager in learning the response. 

Somnus saw a flicker in his brother’s eyes, they once again seemed to darken but it was only for a second or two. 

“I do not know, Somnus. If our parents do not release me themselves then I must leave. It would not be possible for me to stay here otherwise. I would of course try my best to visit you but I may not be able to do that often.”

“Oh.” Somnus’s face fell at the response. It was not what he wanted to hear but he knew it would have to be the only option in such a case. Maybe their parents would reconsider? Or maybe they never would. Somnus didn’t know.

“Do not be sad, Somnus. I would never abandon you even if it were possible for me to escape.” Ardyn consoled. He then smiled widely and chuckled. “Perhaps I’d even take you along instead so we could always be together.”

It was meant to be a joke perhaps. Somnus smiled back but didn’t say anything as Ardyn began to eat his pizza. The boy opened his mouth to speak but then thought better of it. He wanted to tell Ardyn that his suggestion didn’t sound all that bad to him but couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.

* * *

The shadow figure was back again, now standing behind a vase of flowers on a small table. The vase was a gift from Somnus’s dad to his mom for their first wedding anniversary. It meant a lot to the both of them so their son was always careful around it. He’d always known it would be a disaster if the vase was damaged in any way. 

Somnus didn't like that the figure was near it even though he knew it was not real. It was just another hallucination. The boy watched the shadow from the corner of his eyes as he lay on the couch. He had been watching TV but the dark figure at his peripheral was both frightening and distracting. He could no longer focus on the anime that was currently playing on the screen.

Somnus closed his blue eyes, trying to will the figure away. He didn’t want to deal with it today. He was in a bad mood from all the nightmares he’d had the night before. He just wanted this all to _stop_. He hadn’t had a decent night’s rest since summer began.

When the child next opened his eyes, he was startled to find himself standing upright and no longer laying down. He felt a wave of vertigo and then heard something shatter on the floor beside him. The child looked down and saw the worst thing he could think of.

The vase was broken. Shards of the container and the fake flowers they once held lay scattered across the wooden floor. The boy could only stare in horror at what had happened. 

A shrill cry came from Somnus’s mother almost immediately. She’d been in the kitchen, preparing some soup. Her cry was terrible, sounding both angry and pained.

“ _Somnus_ !” Never had the boy heard his mother shriek his name with such fury. It _terrified_ him, causing a wave of dread to engulf him. Despite that, he tried to speak as she appeared in front of him.

“I- It wasn’t me!” Somnus cried out, already realizing just who she’d be trying to blame. He’d just been standing by it, nothing more. Sure he couldn't remember when he’d gotten up but that didn’t mean anything. He would have _known_ it he’d stumbled into it. He hadn’t. It must have just fallen.

“ _Enough_ with the lies!” His mother’s eyes were narrowed in her fury. Somnus shrank back and anything else he might have said got caught in his throat. His mother was furious, her face twisted in an expression Somnus had never seen but for his nightmares. All at once, all the nightmares he’d had of both his parents played across his mind. As a consequence, his fear only increased. 

The boy’s mother continued. “I do _not_ want to see you. Go to your room. _Right now!”_

Somnus instantly did, stumbling as he complied. His body shook but he was too scared to cry. There was a pit in his stomach and he felt cold all over. He’d _never_ been this scared by one of his parent’s before.

The boy sprinted into his room and glanced around wildly until he found what he wanted. He pulled Draco out of his toy chest and then grabbed his blanket off his bed. In his terror, he went to the one place that he felt a little more secure, his closet. It was only when he was huddled and shivering under his blanket and in the darkness that he felt the tears finally begin to flow from his eyes.

A small cry emerged from his throat as he realized just how much trouble he might be in. After that, the sobs began in earnest. The child cried in the darkness of his room, feeling such utter terror and helplessness. He clutched Draco to him but it did little to calm him down. The toy was again just a reminder of his parents, the ones he now feared. It brought him no comfort. The child wished for Ardyn instead. 

Faintly, and despite his harsh breaths, the boy heard his mom and dad’s raised voices. His father must have come down from the study to see what just happened. His mom must have been telling him how their son broke the vase when he didn’t actually do it. The thought caused another wave of fresh tears to drip down his face. 

Somnus wondered if they would lock him up now. Chain him up and leave him where he could never escape. Only free him when he was _fixed,_ like they had Ardyn. And that may not be for _years._ Had this accident been the final straw?

Somnus wished so fervently that Ardyn was by his side. He wished he was free to comfort him. But his parents might never allow that. And if somehow his brother freed himself, he would have to leave. 

It just wasn’t _fair._

  
  


* * *

Somnus curled up in his bed as he heard two sets of heavy footsteps draw closer to his room. He gulped, feeling his heart race as his parents neared. The boy waited when the footsteps stopped, anxiety causing his stomach to hurt. 

Suddenly, he heard the door open with such force that it hit the wall. No doubt there would be a hole from where the doorknob struck it if Somnus looked. But he didn’t. The child lay underneath his blankets and refused to move an inch.

The child clenched his eyes shut and held his breath. He was still, pretending to be asleep and praying he could get out of this somehow. His body trembled however, betraying him if they could see the blankets move from that. 

Somnus’s parents didn’t buy their son’s act, rapidly approaching his bed. The boy felt as if his heart would stop when the blankets were ripped off of him. Before he knew it, his arm was then roughly grabbed and he was pulled from his mattress. 

Somnus cried out as his body fell into a heap on the floor. His eyes teared from the pain of his fall. He lay there, shivering in fear and refusing to look up at the two who’d never raised a hand on him before this day. He prayed this was just a dream. Neither his mom or dad said a word to their son as he lay where he’d fallen. 

The child heard the rattling of metal on metal and then the thump of something heavy being dropped before him. He flinched but still didn’t open his eyes. Only when he heard his name being called in a cold voice by his father, did he finally look.

Somnus opened his eyes to see a pile of metal on the ground in front of his face. He sniffled and let out a sob of fear as he saw the same type of chains that held Ardyn. So this was going to be his fate too. He didn’t even try to move, knowing he could do little against two grown adults.

“I… I’m sorry. I’m _sorry_!” The child apologized again and again as the hands of both his parents reached for him.

  
  


* * *

  
  


Somnus woke up with a start, his heart racing inside his chest. He panicked when he glimpsed only darkness around him. He tried to scramble to his feet but got tangled in his blankets and tripped. His body hit the wall and he grunted in pain. He ripped the blanket off of him and tried to figure out where he was.

It took him another minute to realize he was still in his closet. He’d ended up falling asleep as he anxiously waited for whatever repercussions would be decided for him. He’d just had a nightmare.

The child’s body ached from sleeping in such an awkward position inside the cramped room. His eyes were crusty from all the tears he’d shed. Even so, it took him some time to pluck up enough courage to leave his hiding place. He cautiously stepped out into his darkened room, afraid for what he might find within. 

There was nothing out of the ordinary, thankfully. 

It was well into the night as the stars were visible from his window. Somnus had been in his room since his mother screamed at him earlier that afternoon. His dad hadn’t even come to see him, likely also upset with him. The boy felt an ache but was also relieved. He wasn’t sure what his parents would say to him or what they would do. He was unsure how to defend himself, though it hadn’t been him that broke the vase. It had probably just fallen and it was just his luck that he’d been nearby.

As Somnus moved to his bed to lay down, he heard something outside. His gaze snapped towards his door and he saw that it was open a crack. There was a glimpse of a dark shape outside and the boy froze in horror. Quickly though, it disappeared. 

Letting his breath out, the child quietly tiptoed towards the entrance of his room. He peered through the crack and saw nothing. Once again finding the courage in himself, Somnus opened the door and looked out into the hallway. Still no one. 

Somnus did notice something on the table that was outside his door however. There was a platter, with several plates and a juice box laying on it. There were some pieces of cut fruit and what looked to be a peanut butter sandwich. The open food was covered by a layer of plastic wrap. His parents left some food out for him.

The child’s stomach rumbled at the sight of it. He was starving, having eaten nothing since that morning. He wondered what this meant. Did that mean his mom and dad weren’t as mad as he thought they were? Had they maybe tried to come to him while he was asleep? Somnus had always been a heavy sleeper, unable to be awakened easily.

Before the boy could reach for the platter and the food it held, he heard the low murmur of voices. Somnus froze, thinking he should return to his room. With the platter of food, of course. 

But the child’s body didn’t comply with his demands. Almost like he was not the one in control, he began carefully move towards the sound. Somnus could not resist, feeling a heaviness in his being once again. He was scared but his legs continued to take him forward.

Somnus stopped in front of his parents room. He slowly pressed his hands and then an ear against the door. 

“-can’t do this anymore.” The boy heard his father saying.

There was a muffled response from his mother. “-can we do?”

Somnus knew he should go back to his room. It was not right to eavesdrop like this. But he remained at the door, listening intently. The child’s head began to ache as he fought with himself to go back to the safety of his bedroom. The voices of his mom and dad became fuzzy and garbled like there was something wrong with his hearing.

“- _rid_ of him-” His father said. Instantly, Somnus stopped trying to fight and his body went cold. Rid of who? Did they mean Ardyn?

“-Somnus-” It was then the boy heard it. His own name. _Him_ ? He thought to himself in horror. They wanted to get rid of _him_?

“-try again-” Try again? Maybe have another kid just like they did with Ardyn?

Somnus backed away from the door in panic, now able to control himself. He hurried back to his room and didn’t bother to take the food inside with him. His hunger was forgotten, now replaced with fear. 

The boy believed his parents were going to do something to him. He felt that his nightmare was right. His mom and dad were going to lock him away or just get rid of him entirely.

* * *

  
  


Somnus fell asleep again despite his intense fear of what might happen to him. He dreamed of his brother. This time, Somnus did free him when asked by the disembodied voice. Ardyn looked towards his brother, his savior, with such _happiness_ when the chains were unlocked from his wrists _._ Seeing this, Somnus felt like he’d done the right thing. 

Together the two brothers left their old life behind, escaping their home and all the bad memories contained within. Their parents angrily tried to stop them but could do nothing. Ardyn protected his younger brother. In his dream, the boy felt such contentment when they walked off into the sunshine.

All that dissipated when Somnus awoke next and realized he was still at home. The fear returned, swiftly turning into outright terror when his parents knocked on his door minutes later.

Somnus didn’t respond, too afraid. But all his mom and dad said was that they were leaving on another trip and would be back in the evening. They said they wanted to speak with him after that. Somnus managed to respond with a soft ‘okay’.

And so the adults left, letting their son know there was food in the fridge if he was hungry.

Somnus was in fact very hungry. He left his room for the kitchen now that he knew his parents were gone. He noticed that the platter outside his door had been taken away as he walked towards the kitchen. The child thought about going up to his brother but decided against it. He felt uneasy. What if his parents were just lying? What if they came back sooner, only to catch him up there?

The child spent the rest of the day trying to keep himself as calm as he could. He dreaded his next, inevitable encounter with his parents. He prayed they would do nothing to him. A part of him did realize he hadn’t heard much of his parent’s conversation and that he might be overreacting but it did little to ease his worries.

When his mom and dad came back home, Somnus was already in bed. It was early but that didn't matter. The two adults spent some time in the kitchen, likely eating some of the leftover food they’d told their son of. After that, they went to their Somnus’s room.

Somnus heard his parent’s voices as they neared him. Their footsteps reminded him of his dream and he shuddered. He quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep when his mom and dad opened his door to call his name. The child prayed it would work, that unlike his dream they would believe his act... And they did. 

His parents left when their son did not respond. Somnus let out a sigh of relief once he heard their retreating footsteps. 

* * *

That night, the boy went to his brother. Without Draco this time as he did not want to make him sad. He then revealed to Ardyn everything that had been going on.

“My poor little brother, if this is true then you are no longer safe. I would not wish this fate upon anyone else.” Ardyn consoled, giving his brother a hug. “If only… If only I could aid you but I am helpless, stuck in this awful place. My only wish is to take you away from here… Our parents may very well do to you what they’ve done to me.”

“No…” Somnus denied when he heard it aloud. A small nagging sensation said that this couldn't be it even though he too feared it. The child had been hoping Ardyn would tell him he was just being paranoid and overthinking things. But... If he too thought this, then his fears may be correct. “They wouldn’t really do it, would they?”

“I know you don’t want to believe it. And as much as I wish for you to stay innocent of such matters, you cannot anymore. I was once like you. They neglected me just as they did you. No matter what I did, I was never enough for them. They liked to blame their problems on me. I admit, I may have acted out because of such actions but only to get their attention… I never could have guessed what they would do next. Instead of realizing their mistakes they locked me away and had another child in my place… Look at me, Somnus. Do you think this was right?”

Ardyn raised his arms and showed the metal encircling them. 

“No.” Somnus instantly responded. “This is not right.”

“I did not want to involve you in any way. I did not wish to force your hand to betray your parents for my sake. But there is no longer any other option. You must free me, Somnus. I can only help you if this is done.” Ardyn's expression was desperate, he grabbed hold of his brother's hands. “We can be free, you and I. I promise to take care of you and love you as family should. You will never have to be alone again, never have to fear again. I will not allow anything to happen to you.”

The boy felt his eyes tear up at the words spoken. His brother cared for him so much. Somnus didn’t have to think much about it. He trusted Ardyn. More than anyone else in his life. And all he wanted was to be with his brother, the one who cared for him more than his parents seemed to. 

Somnus was also glad Ardyn was asking him to come with him. They could escape like the boys from his stories. They could run away for a better life just like they did.

The boy nodded and Ardyn smiled, eyes flashing gold again.

* * *

  
  


Somnus had another dream after he returned to his room and fell asleep in his bed. 

A small young red-haired boy was looking at him as they both sat on his bed. He resembled Ardyn which Somnus found rather strange. The dream child was frantic, shaking his head vigorously. He was speaking too but Somnus couldn’t hear him. He knew whatever the child said was important though.

_“Don’t-”_

And that was all Somnus heard before the shadow appeared. Even faceless as it was, the child could tell it was _furious_. The world darkened and he awoke with his heart hammering in his chest. The boy didn’t understand why he’d had such a dream but hoped his nightmares would end once he was out of this house. 

The thought of leaving caused a wave of nervousness, fear and excitement to run though Somnus. Could he really do this? The child wondered to himself as he lay in bed. He had to though. To save both Ardyn and himself. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Somnus didn’t see his parents in a favorable light. Not for a long time but this was the first time he admitted it to himself. The boy knew that his parents didn’t act as they should. They were neglectful. They were usually too busy in their study or with work to play or talk to their son. They never read stories to him. They didn’t stay with him when he was scared. They treated their eldest son terribly. Ardyn was suffering because of them.

And to top it off, their youngest son was now _afraid_ of what they might do to him. 

Somnus did end up having a conversation with them though. He was filled with anxiety throughout as they sat him down in the kitchen. He expected them to yell but they didn’t do anything of the sort.

Instead, they _apologized_ to him. The child was confused. His mom and dad explained they were not mad and they were sorry for being so distant with him. They said they wanted to start again and forget everything that happened in the past. They would overlook his behavior and the breaking of the vase if he could overlook some of their own faults.

It had hurt that they still did not believe him about the vase. But Somnus agreed even though he found himself suspicious of this whole thing. Both adults hugged their son but the boy found it brought him little comfort.

After that, things seemed back to normal in the house. They weren’t though. Somnus was wary, Ardyn’s words and all the nightmares he’d had were still fresh in his mind. The elder brother had even warned Somnus something like this may happen. 

_They will try to lull you into a false sense of security._ Ardyn had said. _Do not believe them. They will strike when you least expect it… That was what they did to me after all._

And recalling those words, any bit of relief Somnus felt vanished.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies, I did end up lying once again. This chapter, like the previous one, was getting a tad too long and I very much wished to update on Halloween. I promise though, the next chapter for sure will be the last for this story. It is already well over 3000 words and may end up nearing the 4000 like this one did. Thank you for reading and Happy Halloween.


	8. Chapter 8

_ Breathe. _

Somnus repeated the order in his mind so he would remember to. There was a pit of anxiety in his gut, getting more painful as the day progressed. He hadn’t been able to eat, feeling far too sick. He had to be strong though... For tonight was to be the night his brother walked free of his prison. And together the two could leave their home behind. Together they would be free of their parents and could finally be as brothers should be.

But the boy also began to have doubts. It was a few days before school started and Somnus’s parents went out with him earlier to buy school supplies. This normal activity, and the seemingly normal few days beforehand, began to cause the boy to question if he should really do this. Wouldn’t it be a waste to buy all of these school supplies if his parents wanted to get rid of him? Of course Somnus still wanted to free Ardyn but he began to wonder if his parent’s really wanted to do something terrible to their youngest. 

… But the child’s brother was sure their parents would try something. Ardyn warned him to be guarded and not let them trick him. Somnus felt divided on what he should do. He wasn’t as sure as he once was that he should also flee. The boy would have to make his decision soon, he knew. Ardyn wanted very much to escape tonight. He’d even told his brother to wait for this particular day.

Luck was on Somnus's side as his parents did not sleep in their study tonight. They were currently in their bedroom. The boy had been careful to make sure they stayed there. He’d silently tiptoed over from his own bedroom to sit by their door after hearing them settle down. He felt he could make an excuse that he’d had a nightmare if they discovered him.

An hour passed and no sound was audible. It was only then the child rose from his spot by the door. Somnus felt and heard his joints crack from staying in his position from so long. He winced from the sensation of pins and needles as he limped away. Thankfully the feeling passed after a short time.

A flashlight in hand in case he needed it, Somnus made his way through his home and towards the coat closet. He felt such a wrongness in his being for doing this. He felt as if he were a thief in his own home. But all he was doing was borrowing the key, the child convinced himself and was able to subdue the feeling. The boy quickly found his dad’s jacket and immediately dug into the pockets. He was careful, slowly moving his hand and rummaging around until he found what he was looking for.

The metal of the keys were cold in Somnus’s hand. He pulled them out slowly, gripping them tightly so they would not jingle. Once out, he looked over the many keys for the one he needed. There were several on the keychain and the boy hoped one of these would be the right one.

However, luck was not on his side for this. None of them was the right one for Ardyn’s chains. The older brother was certain the key required for them was a golden color. One with several symbols engraved upon it. He’d even shown Somnus which symbols as they were some of the same ones that had been engraved into the attic’s floor and walls.

Somnus felt a wave of despair at the key not being here. What if he couldn’t find them? He began to doubt himself. He felt he would let Ardyn down after promising to free him. But quickly, the boy shook these thoughts from his head. He still had time, all night possibly. There were a few other places to check. 

The next place was his mother’s purse. Somnus pulled down the bag from the closet and began to dig through it. Unfortunately for him, that search too came up fruitless. The boy was even reminded of the times his mother accused him of going through her purse like he was now. It made him feel guilty that he really was doing it. The boy put the purse back in its place and stepped away from the closet.

Ardyn had said their parents may not keep the key in obvious places. And it may be in places no one else but they have access to. Over any other place in the house, the key might be in their study. Possibly even their bedroom if the child could not find it anywhere else. That would mean waiting another night however and Somnus did not want to do that. The boy hoped it was upstairs and, with his dad’s keys still in hand, Somnus walked over to the stairs and ascended the steps.

Once up, instead of taking the familiar path to the attic he padded towards the study. This was the room he’d never been allowed inside for his entire life. He’d been curious about but could never bring himself to defy his parents to glimpse what was inside. Today Somnus would and was nervous of what he might find. The child was hesitant to step inside but he knew he had no choice.

The child took another breath in an attempt to calm himself before trying the keys. The anxiety was still there. Somnus was cautious, slowly inserting the key and turning it so it made as little noise as possible. He knew he was being paranoid but he was terrified of being caught red handed like this. 

The first key did not work. Neither did the second. Frustrated, Somnus tried the third but it too was not the right one. By the fourth, Somnus was getting impatient and even more nervous as he stood there.

Finally, the last key caused a soft click to be heard. Somnus let out a sigh of relief. The boy removed the key and opened the door. Giving himself a few moments to gather his courage, the child stepped inside with his flashlight turned on.

* * *

  
  


It was far less sinister than the boy had expected. 

The room was messy, looking almost like a library. There were books and papers all over the place, on the floor and on top of several desks. Somnus could even see some dishes and cups that had been left lying around after his parents finished eating. That caused a spike of irritation to rise up in the child as they always reminded their son to put his dishes in the sink but they didn’t seem to follow their own rules.

Before he forgot, Somnus turned around and checked the door. Sure enough, there lay painted the same mark as in all other rooms in the house. The boy carefully used his fingernail to chip at the paint until the mark was broken. He didn’t know why Ardyn wished for him to do this but he’d said it was important. He’d wanted Somnus to do this to all the marks in the house earlier that day. And the boy did.

The boy felt a chill once he stepped back from the door. He shivered, seeing a black shape dart inside the study almost out of the reach of his light. But when Somnus moved his flashlight to check, he saw nothing. He shivered, feeling rather unsettled. He could not shake the feeling that he was not alone.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Somnus began his search. He dug through the papers and books scattered over the desks in the room. It was messy, far messier than he ever thought his parents would be. They’d always been tidy and wanted their son to be as well.

The child ended up knocking over a book and froze at the soft thump it made when it hit the ground. Heart in his throat, he quickly knelt down underneath the desk and waited. Had his parents heard the noise?

Minutes passed and there was no sound of movement from outside. Somnus relaxed then and continued his search. He rifled through the drawers, the cabinets and the closet. It was frustrating whenever he came up empty handed.

Finally, Somnus found the golden key lying on a small table beside some empty plates and glasses. He almost cried out in joy when he realized what it was. The key was in his hands, the exact one Ardyn described. An excited feeling began to bubble up within Somnus. Ardyn would be so happy. He could be _free._

Though he wanted to run from his room straight to his brother, the boy took a few minutes to clean up any mess he made. He wanted to make it seem as if no one else had been in here. He and Ardyn may need all the time they could get to make their escape. 

The child felt uneasy at the thought of leaving again. He still questioned if he should go along as well. His parents were being nice and the thought of leaving them was beginning to cause an ache in his heart. Somnus still loved them, he knew. It was not something he could help.

Somnus looked over at the desk again and an open book caught his eyes. He glanced over it curiously. The title of the chapter it was on was  _ Scourge of the Stars _ . The boy brought his flashlight close and began to read. 

_ Also known as The Scourge or The Starscourge. A type of powerful daemon that requires a human host to manifest itself. The host is irrevocably changed after the possession, their mind twisted to become as monstrous as the daemon. _

Before Somnus could read more, a few drops of something cold splashed onto his face. Somnus flinched back when something fell on the book.

“No…” The boy moaned as he realized what just happened. A half-full wine glass near the book had tipped over and spilled all its contents over it. Somnus was unsure how as there was nothing nearby that could have knocked into it. The child tried to dry the pages with his sleeve but ended up just ruining them even further as the ink ran. 

There were still some passages the boy could read but they made no sense to him. 

_ Weaker in sunlight... Moonlight can be effective if... called Scourge of the Stars for this very reason... No known cure…. violent, obsessive… desire to take lives... become fixated on objects or... _

It must have been a horror story of some sort and Somnus didn’t understand what it all meant as he could not read the pages in entirety. The child decided he didn't have any more time to waste so he left the book as is. Maybe his parents would believe the glass tipped over by itself overnight, which really was what happened.

* * *

  
  


Ardyn was waiting for his brother when he made it back up to the attic. He was standing, the light already on.

“You have it.” The older man stated, his voice failing to hide the eagerness behind it when he glimpsed his brother’s form coming towards him.

Somnus nodded, clutching only the golden key to his chest. He’d returned his dad’s keys to his coat before coming back up to Ardyn. The child knew there may be no turning back now. Once he freed Ardyn, his parents might never forgive him if they found out he had done it.

“You can let me out.” The desperation and longing were clear in his brother’s voice and Somnus felt his heart ache. He would never understand what his brother went through in these last ten years. Freeing him would be worth it, Somnus thought to himself. Even if his parents hated him afterwards. 

Ardyn raised his chained hands toward Somnus, offering them to him. The child stepped towards his brother and attempted to hand him the key. But immediately, the man snatched his hands back.

“... Please Somnus, you may have the honor of releasing me. This is possible because of you after all.” Ardyn said at his younger brother’s questioning look.

Somnus paused, once again feeling as if something were terribly wrong. He wanted to free his brother but something was causing him to hesitate. A flash of a dream he had suddenly came to his mind. The red-haired boy that looked like Ardyn trying to tell him something before he was interrupted by the shadow. 

… But with Ardyn staring at him with such a hopeful look, Somnus just brushed off his reservations. He raised the key and his brother raised his hands once more. The child found the lock easily enough on the left wrist and inserted the key. At first, he thought the key might have been the wrong one as it would not budge. But, with some force, the key turned and the first chain unlocked. 

Ardyn let out a shuddering breath, his eyes gleaming as he looked over his free arm. There were marks where the chain once was, scars that may never heal from the many years pulling at the metal. Somnus felt terrible seeing them in full for the first time.

Somnus could almost swear he could feel his brother’s anticipation palatable in the air as he inserted the key in the second lock. This one too was a struggle to open. But finally it did and the second chain fell away from his brother’s arm, the golden key still attached. His right arm also had scars littering the wrist area.

With the chains unlocked, Ardyn was finally  _ free _ .

When the boy looked up at his brother, he noticed Ardyn staring down at where the chains once encircled his wrists. His eyes were wide, almost like he was shocked he was finally unchained.

And then the older man grinned. 

To Somnus’s rising unease, Ardyn began to laugh. The child flinched and stepped back seeing such an odd reaction from his brother. The laughter did not sound quite right to the boy. He just stared as his brother continued.

Ardyn laughed for a while, almost to the point of tears. He was breathing faster when he finally managed to calm himself.

Ardyn then turned to Somnus, his eyes flashing bright gold once more. Somnus took another step back, feeling a spike of fear as his brother walked towards him. But all the man did was sweep him up, lifting him up for a hug. 

“I am free…” Ardyn whispered into his brother’s hair. “And it’s all thanks to you, Somnus. My dear little brother... Look how you’ve saved me.”

Somnus felt a kiss be planted on his head. With that, the boy finally hugged Ardyn back. He felt bad for feeling afraid of his brother just before this. He should have known by now he could always trust him. Ardyn set his sibling down afterwards. 

“Thank you, Somnus. And now, it is your turn to be saved.” Ardyn promised as he held his hand out to him. 

Somnus took it.

* * *

  
  


“You're not going to hurt them?” Somnus glanced at his brother to ask as they departed the attic. It was strange but Ardyn did have his younger brother do something first before he left his former prison. He asked Somnus to scratch at the engraved markings around the room, just like he had the symbols on the doors of the house. Only then did Ardyn follow his brother downstairs.

Somnus wondered how Ardyn felt, taking his first steps out of his prison in ten years. Happy, of course as his brother could not stop smiling. But was he sad or angry it took so long? Did he remember what his home looked like after so long in the darkness? 

“Do you think I would?” Ardyn responded, seeming a tad offended. 

Somnus paused and looked away. He wanted to say no but… Everything felt  _ weird _ . He expected to feel relieved after freeing Ardyn but he did not, at least not entirely. Something seemed to be nagging at him, like he’d done something wrong or that something bad was about to happen.

Ardyn gave a sad sigh at the lack of response and Somnus immediately felt guilty. Before the boy could speak up though, his brother did. 

“It’s alright, Somnus. I understand.” Ardyn said. “We were never given the time to know one another like siblings should. Let me give you my solemn vow upon my own life that I will not raise a hand against our parents. Does that ease your worries?”

Somnus felt some relief and nodded. The bad feeling did not entirely leave him but it lessened.

“Now, go grab your things. I will scavenge what we may need on our trip and meet you outside the front door. Quickly now.”

“Oh… Okay.” Somnus agreed hesitantly. 

“Is something wrong?” Ardyn asked, noticing his brother’s hesitation. 

“No.” Somnus shook his head quickly. He didn’t want to admit his reservations since Ardyn looked so happy. It really did seem like he wanted his younger brother to come with him.

Ardyn gave Somnus a look like he knew he was lying but didn’t say anything. 

“I’ll be back.” The child promised and quietly rushed off before he admitted everything. It was too late to change his mind, he felt.

* * *

  
  


Somnus crept back into his room for his things. He saw that it was 2AM when he looked at the alarm clock by his bed. Thankfully, he’d already packed most of his belongings earlier that day and only needed a few minutes to finish up.

Ardyn had told his brother not to worry about anything and that he had a plan in place for the both of them once they were out. He promised they would always have a roof over their head and food to eat. Somnus trusted his brother and believed that he was telling the truth. 

Finished with the final preparations, Somnus looked over his little travel bag packed to the brim with his clothes and toys. It couldn’t fit everything he’d wanted to take but he’d packed the most important items. Clothing, Draco, a few small toys he was fond of, some photographs of himself and his parents, his little piggy bank that held all of his life savings and more. To be honest, his life savings didn’t amount to much but he was proud of what he’d managed to save.

Suddenly, the uneasiness Somnus was feeling earlier came back and enveloped his entire being. The boy glanced around himself in fear. He whipped around and looked at his door for several long moments. Once again, he felt as if he were not alone. The feeling was much worse this time.

The boy gulped and turned around to snatch his bag up in a hurry. He felt the desire to return to Ardyn as soon as possible. The child carefully lifted his bag and began to walk to his door. He froze when he saw _ something  _ already there however. 

The shadow was back, it’s misty body at the entrance to Somnus’s room. The thing that had haunted Somnus for months was here again. Its appearance almost caused the boy to drop his bag but he clenched his hands and held onto it.

Somnus knew it wasn’t real. It never was. The boy felt a surge of anger overpower the fear he always felt. He’d had  _ enough. _ He refused to be afraid anymore. 

The shadowy figure began to creep closer and the boy held his ground. He raised his head and glared at it. 

But that show of defiance only lasted for a short time. Slowly, the shadows began to melt and shift and the figure began to change. It’s body became more distinctive. The shadow had eyes now, piercing golden ones that shined with an unearthly glow. Somnus could not look away from them. They reminded him of his brother’s eyes when they seemed to flash a similar color. There were gnarled, blackened antlers on the creature’s head too. Its open mouth held jagged teeth. It grew taller and taller as it approached the boy. It towered over him, it’s antlers almost touching the ceiling by the time it was a few feet away.

“Go away.” Somnus whispered, backing up and letting go of his bag. The child’s fear took over at this new turn of events. The imaginary being had never done that before and he found himself terrified.

It wasn’t real, the child kept repeating in his mind to try and calm himself. The mantra did not help.

“Ardyn…” Somnus begged for his brother as the figure reached for him with eerily long talons. Each ebony claw was the length of the boy’s arm. The boy instinctively swatted at them but stilled as soon as he did. The creature’s mouth opened in a grin when Somnus realized that he’d just  _ felt _ his hand touch the creature. 

… It didn’t seem to be as imaginary as he thought it was.

* * *

  
  


“Tavian, did you hear something? A feminine voice whispered. 

“Wha?” Tavian responded, groggy from being awoken after a scant few hours of sleep. 

“Did you just hear footsteps?”

“Camila, you’re imagining things again. Somnus is always in his bed when we check.”

“I sometimes wonder if it could be…” Camila trailed off before she finished.

“It’s not.” Tavian quickly replied. This was a conversation they had far too many times these past few months. The house has just been a little noisy lately, the man felt. “We are safe. Somnus is safe. And one day, Ardyn will be too. We just have to figure things out.”

“... I’m losing hope.” Camila’s voice was already wobbling. 

A sigh and then Tavian said. “We can’t. Who else will he have? We are his parents.”

“We’re neglecting Somnus.” Camila admitted. Tavian didn’t deny it. They already knew they were. “This is why he’s acting out. That’s why he broke the vase.”

“... I know.” They’d watched their son turn from the carefree young boy to this depressed, sour child. He’d even begun to say terrible things to them and later acted as if nothing was wrong. He’d been hiding their things around the house and then denied doing any of it. Camila had watched her son smack their precious vase off the table and then act as if he hadn’t. 

“He worries me... He acts like Ardyn. He spaces out like he used to. Keeps denying the things he’s done like he doesn’t even remember them. He even says things like him. Are we ignoring the signs again?” Camila’s voice was breaking.

“He’s  _ fine _ .” Tavian's voice was harsh. They’d already had this talk after the vase incident. Camila had been hysterical, thinking Somnus was turning into another Ardyn. It had taken hours to calm her down and she’d been too terrified to look at their youngest, thinking she would see the same thing in him as they once had in Ardyn. An exhausted Tavian had checked up on the boy later and left some food when he hadn’t responded. 

“Sorry.” Tavian apologized after. “I just… We won’t make that mistake again. Somnus is fine, just a little troubled. It’s not going to happen again.”

Both parents knew Somnus was acting out because he wanted attention. But Camila and Tavian were exhausted from spending almost every waking moment on their eldest. It was Ardyn that required most of the attention right now. Visiting him every night was mentally taxing. Researching and calling in their spare time after work, just as much. They needed to make ends meet and provide as much help as they could for Ardyn. It had been expensive calling in all these specialists that said they could cure him. Most had been quacks but they were willing to try  _ anything. _

Somnus would understand one day, at least they hoped. Camila and Tavian had been trying to be better for him lately. They were willing to look past everything that had already happened and start over. The two already knew they would likely make the same mistakes again but they would try their best not to. All they wanted was for the four of them to be a family but that day didn’t seem to be happening any time soon.

Both adults lay back down but the regrets they carried with them kept them from falling back asleep.

“... We shouldn’t have done this.” Camila whispered after some time. It was something she’d felt more than a few times.

“Maybe not. But we are stuck on this path now.” Her husband murmured back.

“I still think about them. That girl’s parents. Do you think they wonder what happened to their daughter?”

“Camila... “ Tavian sighed. That line of thinking never went well when it was brought up.

“If it was your child, wouldn’t you want to know what happened to her?” The woman insisted.

“... I would.” Tavian admitted as he always did. “I would think about it all my life otherwise. It would at least be closure so I’d never be left thinking she would one day walk through my door.”

“They’ll never get that. Because we were too selfish. We could have gotten Ardyn help, real professional help. But we locked him away instead because we were too worried what others would think of us. We just pretended he’d gone missing like the girl did... We  _ hid her body _ .”

“It wasn’t just that.” Tavian responded, knowing a part of it was. They had been worried what the world might think of the parents of an 8 year old murderer. And it wasn’t just one murder either. Ardyn’s parents were sure he’d been killing animals in the neighborhood before that, and possibly even another two children that had also gone missing around that time.

Few in the world have believed the real cause of all of this was a silly little artifact the family had brought back on holiday.

It was true, Tavian and Camila had been warned. But why would anyone believe some crazy old man that ranted at them after he saw their son carrying an old stone figure they’d just bought? He’d warned them that items like that were used to seal daemons and that they were making a terrible mistake by taking it. They just thought the man a lunatic and hurried away with their son to catch their flight.

What a mistake that had been to ignore him. So much had happened since then, beginning with Ardyn accidentally breaking the figure and releasing whatever had been trapped inside. At first, the strange things that began to happen around the house could be easily explained away. The lights were just malfunctioning, it was just a nightmare, they were just seeing things and so on. But things became harder to ignore, especially when their son began to act like a completely different and violent child and that  _ thing  _ began to show itself. So much more had happened afterwards, none of which either parent wanted to remember.

Now, the couple knew that man that warned them had been right. Daemons were real and one had taken their son’s body for its own. All the pain and fear Ardyn’s parents had gone through could have been avoided if they just  _ listened.  _ They’d had no choice to stop their son any way they could. And they had chosen to imprison him until they could find some way to save him.

“No one would believe that Ardyn was possessed. They’d just throw him into a psych ward and he’d be left there for the rest of his life. We wouldn’t be able to help him if that was the case. You’d think they’d let exorcisms be performed there?”

“But this didn’t help him.” Camila argued. “Nothing we do gets rid of that  _ thing _ inside of him. It’s latched onto him so tightly. He’s always in so much pain after the treatments...”

“I know… Just remember it's not our boy right now. What he goes through will be worth it once we free him. We’ll have our kind little boy again once this is over. We just need some more time.”

“I want that with all my heart.” Camila said. It was quiet after that as both adults were lost in thoughts.

But then they heard a noise. This time they both did. Loud footsteps, two sets of them. Too heavy to be Somnus.

The couple turned to one another in horror. Had intruders broken in?

Before they could do much but try to scramble out of bed, the door flew open and cracked against the wall.

“Hello Mother. Hello Father.” Their son smirked triumphantly at the both of them. A humanoid figure stood behind Ardyn, it’s body too tall for its face to be seen clearly. It was clothed in rags and bones. This was the daemon, finally able to take a completely solid now that its host was no longer subdued. The new moon tonight made sure that the two that had once been locked away were now at the height of their power.

Ardyn stepped into the room as his parents watched on in horror. Behind Ardyn, the once shadowy figure bent down to enter. It’s long clawed hands ripped into the frame of the doorway as it pulled itself through. It’s glowing eyes fixated on the two in the bed. It’s mouth opened wide in a gleeful smile knowing it would soon sate its lust for blood after ten long years.

“The mark…” Tavian whispered, frozen at the sight of their son and the daemon that controlled him stepping across the barrier. They shouldn’t have been able to so easily step into the room. The mark painted on the door and doorframe should have hindered then even if it would not be enough to stop them entirely.

“Broken. As all others are in this home. You may thank Somnus for that.” Ardyn chuckled and motioned for the creature behind him to advance. His brother had been kind enough to do just as he asked in sabotaging the symbols.

Tavian and Camila didn’t stand a chance against the daemon that used their son as its host. This was the friend Ardyn told Somnus of, the one that stayed by him all those years of imprisonment.

As Ardyn did make a promise to his brother, he did not in fact raise a hand against his parents. It was only the daemon his parents so desperately tried to rid their son of.

* * *

“Somnus…” The woman croaked in her last few moments, blood spilling from her lips as she gasped for breath. She already knew she would die here today. She could only pray that her other son was alright and that maybe he would be able to make it out of this. 

Tavian was already dead, his blood soaking into the bed. He’d been killed first.

“Oh, do not worry about him.” Ardyn grinned at his dying mother. “He has already been dealt with. Perhaps you’ll see him again soon.”

Camila couldn’t even manage a scream as the daemon reached for her again. Her last thoughts were of her own regrets at what had occurred.

* * *

Afterwards, the daemon dissipated. Ardyn looked over at the bloodied mess his friend made and smiled. He felt such satisfaction that his parents had been punished for their many crimes even if he had not been able to participate in the punishment himself. There were many others in the world Ardyn could use to sate his own bloodlust now that he was free. There was always such a feeling of euphoria when witnessing life draining from the eyes of living creatures by his own hand, humans most of all. It had been far too long since he had been able to partake in that.

Tavian and Camila had made many mistakes in their lives. But the one that doomed them was neglecting their youngest in the process of trying to save their eldest. They had not meant it but they were driven to desperation. In the end, that was what had destroyed them. They really should have paid more attention to Somnus. Ardyn was glad they had not as it made his poor, little brother easier to manipulate.

Black ichor began to seep out of Ardyn’s eyes and mouth, a side effect of calling upon the daemon’s full power. The man cleaned himself up with his sleeve and left his parent’s bloodied bodies behind. 

It was time to leave. 

* * *

Somnus opened his eyes, blinking several times to clear the bleariness. His head hurt and so did his ears like someone had been screaming nearby _. _ He could almost hear a faint echo of them.

The child shook his head, causing a bout of nausea to hit but the movement caused his vision to clear. He found himself confused when he realized he was standing upright. But there was not much time to think about it because Somnus could only freeze in horror at what he saw before him. 

It was blood... And it was  _ everywhere _ . Splattered across the walls, soaked into the carpet and covering his parents bed. There were also two figures lying upon that bed, far too still to be okay with everything around them. The boy closed his eyes before he could glimpse any more. 

“Ah…” Somnus managed a small cry but was otherwise frozen at the sight. He knew his parents were dead. The child felt the urge to vomit, to collapse onto the floor and scream but he just stood there with his eyes closed instead. 

Only when Somnus’s palm began to hurt, did he realize there was something gripped in it. The child opened his eyes and looked down, seeing a knife in  _ his  _ hand. It too, as well as all his clothing, were covered in gore.

“No…” Somnus moaned softly. He… Hadn't done this had he? 

Why couldn’t he  _ remember? _

The door behind him burst open and Somnus whirled around in shock, finally free to move his body. He tried to let go of the knife but his body wouldn’t let him. 

“Drop the knife.” A voice commanded from the doorway. There were two large men in police uniforms with their guns raised towards him.

Somnus felt his body tremble and he tried to let go of the weapon, he really did. But his fingers only tightened their grip instead.

“ _ Drop _ the knife kid!” A second voice repeated the command.

But Somnus did not. He found himself unable to control himself again. The child stepped forward and raised the knife. 

“ _ Drop it _ !” The first policeman warned once more. As if someone else took over his body, Somnus defied the order and charged at both men.

There was a shot, a sharp pain in Somnus’s leg and he stumbled. He screamed loudly in agony, the cry burning his throat.

… But he still kept  _ going. _

Another shot, more pain and then the world began to darken as Somnus collapsed to the floor. The knife finally fell free from his weakening grasp as the boy closed his eyes.

* * *

Somnus woke up on the floor with a small whimper of pain. With tears dripping down his face, he looked around in confusion. He quickly realized he was still in his room. There was no blood and no police. His parents were okay. It was just a nightmare. 

The child wondered if he had passed out somehow as he pushed himself up. And then had another awful nightmare, one of the worst yet. His thoughts shied away from what his mind had conjured up while unconscious.

Somnus glanced at the clock and saw that it was after 3AM. Something about that seemed wrong until he realized just what he was supposed to be doing. 

_ Ardyn!  _

He was supposed to meet him almost an hour ago. Somnus panicked and rushed to snatch up his things from beside him. The child noticed a strange metallic scent in the air but didn't think much of it in his hurry.

Finally at the front door, Somnus hesitated. He felt the need to say goodbye. To maybe leave a note for his parents. It hadn’t been all bad with them, at least for himself. He believed they did care for him.

Somnus mulled it over a bit but decided against it. It was probably best not to. The boy opened the door and stepped outside into the cool air.

* * *

Ardyn was sitting by the tree in their front yard. His back was to Somnus and he was staring out at the night sky. Stars speckled the heavens but there was no moon in sight. The older man seemed entranced, his body relaxed as he gazed out at the darkness.

“Ardyn?” Somnus called out. He felt apprehensive thanks to the nightmare he’d had. 

“There you are, I almost thought you’d changed your mind.” Ardyn turned his head to look at his brother. His eyes were bright amidst the darkness and he was smiling. 

“I…” Somnus wanted to admit his feelings to Ardyn. He was beginning to feel some regret, not for freeing Ardyn, but for telling him they would leave together. He was afraid. He wasn’t sure if this would work. Maybe Somnus could visit Ardyn instead?

Ardyn seemed to be able to tell just what his brother wanted to say. He frowned and Somnus looked down in shame. He’d promised to leave with him after all.

The boy heard his older brother sigh. “You may go back.”

“What?” Somnus’s head shot up and he stared at his brother in shock.

“I can see on your face that you are questioning your decision to come with me. I will not force anything upon you as our parents did for me. As much as it pains me, you may go back.” Ardyn explained. “I suppose I could be wrong. Perhaps they never intend to lock you away… But know if they attempt such a thing that I will come save you.”

“But… You’ll be alone.” Somnus said and knew it to be true. If Somnus stayed then his brother would have to go off alone. He’d never be allowed to visit Somnus often as he could not risk being found out and locked away again.

“Dear Somnus, I have been lonely a long time. I will manage this too.” Ardyn smiled at his brother and Somnus felt his heart break. “We will meet again of course, but it may not be for some time.”

Ardyn pushed himself to his feet and turned away from. The child felt a wave of love for his brother. Even now Ardyn cared about him so much. He would not guilt him for wanting to stay and even promised to save him if something should happen. Did he really want to stay with his parents over him? His parents had one another. Ardyn had no one.

“Wait!” His back to his younger brother, Ardyn grinned and his eyes flashed bright gold when he heard Somnus speak up. When the older man turned back, his face was schooled into a concerned expression and his eyes were their normal amber.

“What is it?”

“I want to come.” Somnus stated, looking into his brother’s eyes with determination.

“It’s alright, Somnus. You do not have to do this for me.”

“No. I want to.” Somnus insisted. He trusted Ardyn. He would be safe with him.

“Are you sure of this? You cannot take this back. It is alright if you are scared.”

“Yes.” Somnus nodded. “I am scared. But… I’m going to face my fears. I want to do it with you.” 

At Ardyn’s warm smile in response to his words, Somnus felt like he made the right choice. 

“Do you have everything then?” His older brother asked as he approached him.

The child was about to say yes but then thought of something. “Hold on.”

With Ardyn watching on, Somnus set down his bag and dug through it to pull out his favorite toy. Draco had been the boy’s trusted companion and he’d been able to help Somnus whenever he was scared or lonely. But now he had Ardyn for that. 

Somnus walked over and placed his cherished toy by the house, half hidden in a bush. He didn’t want it too noticeable. If his parents missed him, maybe it would help them once they found it. They may not have been the greatest of parents but Somnus found his heart aching in response to leaving them. 

After that, Somnus returned to his brother. 

“Good boy.” Ardyn praised and held out his hand. Once again, Somnus took it. The red-haired man quickly moved to take hold of his brother and lift him into his arms. 

“Woah!” Somnus cried out at the sudden movement.

“This may be a long walk, so allow me carry you.” Ardyn explained as he bent down to pick up his brother’s belongings afterwards. “Permit me to finally be the big brother I should have been for you all these years.”

“Okay...” Somnus felt a warmth from his words and quickly agreed. He wrapped his arms around his brother’s neck and whispered softly. “Thank you.” 

Ardyn began to walk away from the house with Somnus staring back at it. And together, the two brothers quickly disappeared into the night.

* * *

Several nights later the local news covered a story about a fire that engulfed a suburban home. The inferno was so hot that it melted most of the house into an unrecognizable mass. The partial remains of Tavian and Camila Lucis Caelum were found but the son’s were not. He was presumed dead however. 

A few hours away from the site of the fire, two adult female bodies were also discovered stabbed to death in the woods. The police had no leads and the public was warned the killer was still at large. 

What the world did not know at this time was that the two women were to be the first victims of a very prolific serial killer that would terrorize the country for many, many years to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is finally done. Thank you all for reading this story and I do hope you enjoyed it. If you have any questions feel free to ask. We feel this story ended up a bit too long, and possibly a little convoluted, so there are likely some inconsistencies and loose threads. I will try and explain and/or fix them if I am able. 


End file.
